Case Number: 754
Fitzgerald, Dennis, Officer, 11th Prect, died in Mercy Hospital from assault committed Dec. 26, 1903, at 44th St. and Indiana Av., by John Johnson and Louis Tedford, both colored, who were intoxicated and creating a disturbance and when remonstrated with by the officer assaulted him and shot him in the abdomen. They were both arrested and held by the Coroner's Jury Jan. 20, 1904. Johnson sentenced to hang and Tilford to 14 years in Pen; March 5, 1904. Johnson respited Dec. 14. Hanged in County Jail Jan. 20, 1905.
Circumstances
| Date of Offense | December 26, 1903 |
|---|---|
| Date of Death | January 20, 1904 |
| Time Between Offense and Death | Longer than 1 week |
| Address | 44th st. and Indiana Av. |
| Location Description | 44th st. and Indiana Ave. |
| Type of Death | Homicide |
| Type of Homicide | Intentional murder |
| Method of Killing | Other gun, gun unspecified |
| Weapon | shot in the abdomen |
| Motive | when remonstrated with by the officer assaulted hi |
| Victim Initiated Events Leading to Homicide | No |
| Description | Police officer killed during apprehension |
| Total Number of Victims | 1 |
| Location | 44th st. and Indiana Ave. |
| Number of Defendants | 2 |
Victim
| Name | Fitzgerald, Officer Dennis |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Race | White |
| Employed | Yes |
| VictimEmploymentType | Employed, professional (incl. police and military) |
| Ethnicity | Irish |
| Name of Hospital Where Victim Was Taken | Mercy Hospital |
| Occupation/ Skill | Law enforcement |
Defendant
| Name | Johnson, John |
|---|---|
| Gender | Male |
| Ethnicity | African American |
| Race | Black |
Police
| Precinct | 11 |
|---|---|
| Allegations of Police Corruption | No |
| Date Defendant Arrested | 20-Jan-04 |
| Time Between Crime and Arrest | Weeks |
| Total Number of Defendants Arrested | 2 |
| Victim Employed by Law Enforcement | Police officer on duty |
Legal
| Date of Coroner's Decision | January 20, 1904 |
|---|---|
| Outcome of Coroner's Judgment | Defendant held to Grand Jury |
| Charges Against Defendant | No |
| Type of Legal Decision Recorded | Coroner, trial |
| Allegations of Police Corruption | No |
| Date of Sentence | March 5, 1904 |
| Length of Sentence | Death penalty |
| Outcome of Trial | Guilty, unspecified offense |
| Post Trial Information | Death sentence carried out |
| Sentence Completed | Yes |
