No bail for men charged in officer's death Suspects in Wortham shooting could face death penalty

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http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-met-police-officer-shot-0523-20100522,0,6799502.storyNo bail for men charged in officer's death Suspects in Wortham shooting could face death penalty Topics Theft Hospitals and Clinics Lawyers See more topics » XIraq Murder Death and Dying Motorcycling Justice System Prosecution Trinity United Church of Christ Vehicles Crimes Facebook By Stacy St. Clair and John Byrne, Tribune reporters
8:56 p.m. CDT, May 22, 2010 E-mail Print Share Text Size
Two men charged with killing an off-duty Chicago police officer were ordered held without bail Saturday as prosecutors released new details about how an alleged robbery attempt ended in bloodshed.
Paris McGee, 20, and Toyious Taylor, 29, showed no emotion as a prosecutor announced they had been charged with the murders of Officer Thomas Wortham IV and their friend, Brian Floyd, who was fatally shot while allegedly trying to steal Wortham's motorcycle.
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The men, who authorities say were waiting in a getaway car during the alleged robbery attempt, could face the death penalty.
Wortham, an Army National Guardsman who recently completed his second tour in Iraq, had gone to his parents' Chatham home for dinner Wednesday on what prosecutors described as "a regular night." Authorities say that as he prepared to leave about 11:30 p.m., Floyd, 20, and his 19-year-old cousin approached Wortham and tried to steal his motorcycle.
When the officer's father, retired police Sgt. Thomas Wortham III, saw the men approach, he yelled at them to leave his son alone, authorities said. Floyd responded by shooting at the elder Wortham, Assistant State's Attorney Joe Cataldo said.
In that moment of distraction, Wortham IV pulled out his gun and identified himself as a police officer. He and Floyd exchanged gunfire, during which Wortham was shot in the abdomen.
"That's when a regular night turned into a nightmare," Cataldo said.
Wortham's father rushed to a ground-floor bedroom, returned with a gun and saw Taylor and McGee pull up in a red car, authorities said. McGee, who was in the passenger's seat, flashed a handgun and yelled at his friends to get in the car, Cataldo said.
With Wortham lying in the street, his father opened fire on Floyd and his cousin.
Taylor and McGee fled in the car, striking Wortham's body and dragging him roughly a quarter-mile, Cataldo said.
Wortham was pronounced dead just after midnight Thursday.
"He survived two tours of duty in Iraq, but he couldn't survive dinner at his parents' home in our community," Cataldo said.
Floyd was pronounced dead at the scene. His cousin, who has not been charged yet, remains in critical condition at Advocate Christ Medical Center in Oak Lawn.
McGee turned himself in to police Thursday afternoon. Taylor was apprehended Thursday night during a traffic stop.
Wortham's father identified both men as the getaway car's occupants in a police lineup, Cataldo said.
McGee attends an alternative high school, where he played on the basketball team. He was scheduled to graduate next month, said his attorney, Anthony Burch.
His Facebook page — on which he refers to himself as "Payroll McGee" — lists his hobbies as "basketball, dice and robbin." In a box dedicated for a personal description, he wrote: "I hav no promlem wit pullin da trigger!!!!!"
Both McGee and Taylor appear in a rap video on Floyd's Facebook page for a song titled "I'm Crazy." During the three-minute video, which was posted Tuesday, the men appear to be smoking marijuana and drinking alcohol as they cruise in a white Mercedes.
"There are two sides to every story," Burch said.
Visitation for Wortham will be 3 to 8 p.m. Thursday in Leak & Sons Funeral Home, 7838 S. Cottage Grove Ave., Chicago.
Services are scheduled for 1 p.m. Friday in Trinity United Church of Christ, 400 W. 95th St., Chicago.