The Cook County State’s Attorney’s office suspended two attorneys who denied felony charges against a man who threatened to kill his family three months before setting them ablaze, killing himself and two others.
Anita Alvarez's office declined to file felony charges against 29-year-old Nathaniel Beller in a domestic violence case in Cicero in September. Beller is suspected of pouring gasoline on his two young children and wife, Taniya Johnson, 33, and igniting them on Dec. 29, shortly after his release from a mental health facility, officials said. Killed were Beller, his wife, and Neriyah, 4, his daughter. His son Naciere, 9, was critically injured
In the September case, Beller was accused of filling a bathtub with gasoline and threatening to kill his family, according to a Cicero police report, which stated prosecutors cited a "lack of evidence" in declining charges against Beller.
Alvarez released a statement after the news broke promising to investigate. Her office released another statement Tuesday.
“As promised, my office has conducted a complete review of this matter and as a result I have ordered the unpaid suspension of two Assistant State’s Attorneys who were ultimately responsible for the charging decision that was made,” according to a statement released by Spokeswoman Sally Daly on behalf of Alvarez.
Cicero police officers in September had to force their way into an apartment after negotiating with Beller to release his two children. At one point, Beller lit a cigarette while in the apartment, according to a police report.
Officers also inventoried gas cans and a lighter as evidence from inside the apartment, the report stated.
An Assistant State’s Attorney interviewed Beller at the hospital but after returning to the Cicero police department, informed police that no charges would be filed, according to a Cicero police report. A different attorney, according to the report, later cited a “lack of evidence” and Taniya’s lack of cooperation as reasons why he could not approve felonies.
At least one other attorney was mentioned in the Cicero police report – it’s not clear which of the three were suspended.
Beller, his daughter and his wife died after the fire. The family was among a handful of people injured in the blaze, including upstairs neighbors of the brick home who suffered smoke inhalation.
The blaze brought dozens of firefighters to the home and extra ambulances as responding firefighters found more burn and smoke victims.
pnickeas@tribune.com
Twitter: @peternickeas
lford@tribune.com
Twitter: @ltaford
Prosecutors suspended in case of man who later burned family
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