Oak Brook fires officer from force

The Oak Brook police and fire board on Monday fired the sergeant whose actions sparked a $2 million lawsuit against the village.

After Sgt. Randy Mucha was charged with lying under oath by Police Chief Thomas Sheahan, the board found him guilty and dismissed him from the department. He was a 20-year veteran of the force.

Mucha remained stoic as the verdict was announced and said he and attorney Jerome Marconi will appeal the decision in DuPage County Circuit Court.

During the hearing, Sheahan and attorney Patrick Lucansky argued that Mucha lied under oath during his disciplinary hearing last April and during a 2006 deposition.

"It's important for all police officers to be truthful in court, in reports and in everyday life," Sheahan said during testimony.

Mucha first came under fire in 2005, when his on-duty actions led to a federal lawsuit against the village, police department and some local officials. The suit was filed by a local couple, Casey and Frances Gaik, who claimed Oak Brook police harassed and videotaped them -- and even entered their home illegally -- after they criticized the village government.

The village settled the suit for $2 million without admitting wrongdoing.

Initially, Mucha was able to keep his job after the board voted last April to suspend him for 30 days without pay. But Marconi said Mucha has not been allowed to return to work since and has lost income and health insurance.

On Monday, Marconi argued that Sheahan didn't like the board's April verdict and brought up new charges in an effort to boot Mucha from the police force.

"The board made a decision last time that his background warranted a 30-day suspension," Marconi said. "Nothing has changed since then. (The board) told him to go back, do his job and not to show up (here) again. Sgt. Mucha was never able to go back and do his job. "

But Lucansky said Mucha's disciplinary record -- a total of 48 days and two written reprimands during his career -- shows that discipline does not affect him.

"The concept of progressive discipline was used here without any result," Lucansky said.