A woman who was caught on camera stealing a Chicago police SUV and dragging an officer with her has been found not guilty by reason of insanity of attempted murder and four other charges.
CWB Chicago report Under Judge Tyria Walton’s ruling, Whitley Temple must complete a treatment program rather than serve any prison time. Temple was filmed by passersby and on city surveillance cameras during the incident. The incident began when Officer Ed Popish was responding to a shooting and found Temple lying half-naked in the street. When the officer stopped to help her, Temple got up from the sidewalk, walked around the officer and got into the driver’s seat of his patrol car.
Popish tried to stop her, but she allegedly said, “Let go. This has nothing to do with you.”
Temple was hired as the chief accountant for the city’s Department of Family and Supportive Services while the case was still pending.
Temple then backed the SUV up and began dragging Popish, causing the SUV to crash into another car behind it before Popish was able to extricate himself from the vehicle.
Temple went on a short drive in her SUV. She drove to a gas station, got out while the car was still running, drove into the gas station, got out again, and drove off again. She drove at a high rate of speed, weaving in and out of freeway traffic and running red lights. After hitting five cars, Temple got out and drove around the block before being arrested by police.
In true Chicago fashion, Ms. Temple was hired as chief accountant for the city’s Department of Family and Supportive Services while her lawsuit was still pending. She lost her job earlier this year when her hiring became public.
CWB Chicago reported that Temple’s bail was set at $2 million, but his lawyers appealed the decision, arguing that the amount was too high. The appeals court agreed, allowing Temple to return home wearing an ankle monitor after his family paid $7,500 in bail. The monitor was removed last year.
