Charges upgraded to felony for man accused of spitting on former Mayor Daley
By Mary Houlihan Staff Reporter mhoulihan@suntimes.com June 12, 2011 6:18PM
Janusz Kopycinski, charged with aggravated battery of a police officer.
Updated: September 29, 2011 12:41AM
Misdemeanor charges have been upgraded to a felony for a Northwest Side man who yelled obscenities at Mayor Daley as he was leaving City Hall on his last day in office.
In court Sunday, Judge Israel Desierto set bail at $100,000 for Janusz Kopycinski, 30, of the 6500 block of West Wellington.
Around 5 p.m. on May 13, Kopycinski was in the 100 block of North LaSalle when he began spitting on people and yelling at the mayor, police said.
Police advised Kopycinski to stop, and when he didn’t, they attempted to arrest him. Kopycinski tried to run away, and two police officers received minor injuries in the ensuing pursuit.
According to a court report, the misdemeanor charge of resisting arrest was upgraded to aggravated battery of a police officer in part because Kopycinski has a history of altercations with police officers.
In 2007, Kopycinski was charged with police battery and found guilty but mentally ill and ordered to undergo treatment in a mental health facility. Mary Houlihan
