COOK COUNTY CRIMINAL COURTHOUSE — Moments before he robbed a woman in Lakeview late Monday, a Near West Side man hugged the victim and told her he needed cash because his mother just died, authorities said.
Michael Lee, 22, is accused of ripping $60 out of a woman's hand near Belmont and Clark about 10:45 p.m. Monday. According to prosecutors, Lee hugged the 23-year-old victim and explained he needed her money due to the recent death.
During a bond hearing Wednesday, Lee's public defender said Lee's mom died 3½ weeks ago, and that Lee is currently suffering from depression.
According to an arrest report, the woman was on her way to her parents' home Monday night when she stopped by an ATM at the Belmont Red Line station and withdrew $120.
The woman, a Lincoln Park resident, began walking east on Belmont Avenue when she noticed four people, including Lee, following her, the report said.
As the woman rounded Clark, Lee and three others approached her near the MB Financial Bank at 3179 N. Clark St., court records show.
Lee told the woman, "I'm drunk. My mother just died," before asking for a hug, according to the arrest report. Lee wrapped his arms around the woman, who was still carrying the $120 cash in her left hand, and grabbed her cash, police said.
At that point, a bystander yelled at Lee and his accomplices, and Lee punched the bystander in his head, knocking him to the ground, Assistant State's Attorney Lorraine Scaduto said during a bond hearing Wednesday.
The victim, who was able to hold on to half her cash, dashed up the street, court records show.
One of Lee's accomplices, 20-year-old Devontae King, caught up with the victim a block north, where he punched her and tackled her to the ground, Scaduto said.
At that point, a bystander on the block yelled at the attackers, according to police. The bystander, who was across the street, held open her door for the victim, who was able to run to safety.
King and Lee were arrested about 11:30 p.m. on the same block, court records show. As officers canvassed the area after the attack, a woman who lives on the street told police she saw two men run down her gangway and could hear them talking behind her building, the arrest report said.
Police found King and Lee, who were identified by victims.
The other two people who were following the victim — a man and a woman — were not caught, according to court records.
Lee, of the 1400 block of South Canal Street, is charged with theft and battery. He is currently on probation for an April 2015 theft conviction. He was previously convicted in two separate retail-theft cases.
Lee's public defender said Lee is a high-school graduate who has two children and lives with his girlfriend.
King, of the 400 block of East 51st Street, is charged with robbery. He has a pending retail theft case, court records show. In that case, King was arrested on Oct. 15, just four days before Monday night's attack. King was previously convicted of theft and trespassing.
According to Scaduto, King is currently on probation in Iowa for theft and credit-card fraud. King's public defender said King is a high-school graduate who has one child.
Cook County Judge James Brown on Wednesday ordered each man held in lieu of $100,000 bail.
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