A Chicago resident, accused of smoking a cannabis cigar on a CTA Red Line platform, was arrested and now faces felony gun charges after police allegedly found a loaded handgun in his waistband. However, the subsequent court appearance brought some relief as he faced the county’s most lenient pretrial detention judge, who dismissed the prosecution’s request to keep him in custody.
The Cook County Sheriff’s Police reported that officers were patrolling the 79th Street Red Line station at about 11 p.m. on May 12 when they observed 48-year-old Joseph Wright smoking what was believed to be a cannabis cigar, which is against CTA regulations.
Following his arrest for disorderly conduct, officers conducted a search and allegedly discovered a loaded firearm concealed in his waistband. Consequently, the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office charged Wright with several offenses: possession of a firearm by a repeat felony offender, possession of a weapon by a felon, and possession of a firearm on public transportation.
Prosecutors requested Judge D’Anthony Thedford to detain Wright until his trial. However, Thedford, who is known for denying detention requests more frequently than his peers, turned down the request and instead ordered Wright’s release under electronic monitoring, as per court records.
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