Wicker Park Man Sentenced to 25 Years for Murder
A Wicker Park man has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for a 2021 murder case that relied on enhanced video evidence provided by a federal forensics laboratory.
Tommie Brown, aged 34, pleaded guilty to murder in front of Judge William Gamboney, as per court records.
James Madrid tragically passed away from six gunshot wounds to his back on the 1400 block of West Division in the early hours of August 2, 2021, just a day after celebrating his 34th birthday, according to public records.
Surveillance footage from the Chicago Police Department captured Madrid walking alone on Division Street and encountering a woman engaged in an argument with a group of individuals around 2:30 a.m., as detailed by prosecutors.
Madrid stepped in and exchanged words with the woman, who prosecutors claimed was Brown’s wife. The CPD video allegedly showed the woman striking Madrid with her purse, causing him to fall to the ground.
A resident in the vicinity recorded the incident on her phone from a nearby window and handed it over to investigators. This footage, subsequently sent to the Regional Computer Forensics Laboratory for enhancement by CPD, allegedly depicted Madrid pointing towards the woman and uttering, “She messed up.”
In addition, the footage purportedly showed the woman making a phone call where she mentioned, “Tommie, this individual attacked me, bro.” She then urged Brown to “handle” the situation, according to prosecutors.
A short while later, Brown arrived at the scene in a vehicle registered to his wife, exited the car, and chased after Madrid. Subsequently, he opened fire, hitting Madrid six times in the back as he attempted to flee. Eleven shell casings were recovered at the scene, all originating from the same firearm.
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