Ex-cop accused of threatening Gliniewicz investigators pleads not guilty
A retired Chicago cop accused of threatening investigators working the case of Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz pleaded not guilty in Lake County court Thursday.
Joseph A. Battaglia, 54, of the 5600 block of West 103rd Street, Oak Lawn, remains free after posting the required 10 percent of his $100,000 bail. He is charged with harassment by telephone and disorderly conduct in Lake County court.
If found guilty of the misdemeanor charges, he could be sentenced up to six months in jail and a $1,500 fine, officials said. He is also eligible for probation.
Battaglia did not speak with reporters outside the courtroom, but defense attorney Myron Goldstin said he is negotiating with prosecutors to try to resolve the matter before the case goes to trial.
"There was no audio of the phone call, so if he made a threat, I don't know what he said," Goldstin said.
Battaglia is accused of calling the Lake County coroner's office Sept. 11 and threatening to harm all of the members of the Lake County Major Crime Task Force, other investigators, Lake County Coroner Thomas Rudd, and coroner's office employees, unless Gliniewicz's death was declared a suicide, authorities said.
He also identified himself to employees as a former Chicago police officer, authorities said, and blocked his phone number to help cover his identity.
Battaglia was arrested at his home the next day, officials said. He appeared in bond court Sept. 14.
Conditions of his bail stress that he is not allowed to have any contact with members of the Lake County Major Crimes Task Force and the coroner's office, and he must turn in his firearm owners identification card.
Goldstin previously said Battaglia was concerned with the investigation and was trying to get more information released by the coroner and task force.
At the time the calls were made, authorities were under the assumption Gliniewicz was killed in the line of duty by three men acting suspiciously in Fox Lake on Sept. 1. Since then, investigators determined Gliniewicz killed himself because of the stress that he would be caught embezzling funds from Fox Lake Law Enforcement Explorers Post 300 that he led.
Gliniewicz used the stolen funds to pay for mortgages, vacations, adult websites and personal loans, authorities have said.
Goldstin acknowledged the case. "It's a shame it turned out to be a suicide. I feel bad for the family and bad for the man."