CHICAGO — The Cook County prosectuor accused of drunkenly confronting the owner of a Lakeview sex shop and flashing her badge, and biting an employee of a neighboring business was found not guilty after a brief trial.
Sarah Naughton, 31, an assistant state's attorney, was acquitted of battery, resisting arrest, attempted official misconduct, criminal trespass, assault and disorderly conduct charges. Her boyfriend, attorney Bradley Gould, 31, was acquitted of assault and battery charges.
A witness said an unruly Naughton, when told to leave the Taboo Tabou sex shop at 854 W. Belmont Ave., flashed her badge at the store manager and told her to back off. Gould allegedly called the manager a "retard."
Later, after the run-in turned physical outside, Naughton's boyfriend suffered a bad cut on his head and then wiped his own blood across the sex shop's window, the store manager testified on the first day of the trial at the courthouse at Belmont and Western Wednesday.
Naughton and her boyfriend, Bradley Gould, both ended up spending the night in jail. Naughton was charged and placed on desk duty.
Witnesses said the ruckus continued, with Gould tangling with an employee from Blue Havana, a business next door to Taboo Tabou, and Naughton allegedly biting his leg.
A bystander recorded the aftermath of the incident and posted it on YouTube.
Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan's office led the prosecution so as to avoid a conflict of interest. While the couple was found not guilty, Madigan's office was disappointed at the result.
"We strongly believe that the evidence supported the charges. We are very disappointed in the verdict," said spokeswoman Natalie Bauer.
