CHICAGO (WBBM NEWSRADIO) -- A homeless man was sentenced to 65 years in prison Tuesday for the murder of off-duty Chicago Police Officer John Rivera.
Jovan Battle, who represented himself during his 2019 jury trial, made no comments after the proceeding ended.
But he did apologize to Rivera’s family while asking Cook County Judge Michael Clancy to impose the minimum sentence since he “would likely never see” his own children again, the Sun-Times reported.
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Battle did not shoot into Rivera’s car during the March 2019 River North shooting that also seriously wounded the officer’s friend. But he had played a key role in the murder by pointing out Rivera’s car to two other men, prosecutors said.
Battle helped the alleged shooter, Menelik Jackson, because, as Battle told investigators, they were both members of the Gangster Disciples street gang, the Sun-Times reported.
Prosecutors also pointed out that Battle expressed no remorse to detectives for his role in the crime.
Jackson is awaiting trial.
(Source: Sun-Times Media Wire & Chicago Sun-Times 2021. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)