U.S. Attorney Steven M. Biskupic has filed federal charges against two Milwaukee police officers who have agreed to plead guilty and testify against others in the Frank Jude Jr. beating case. Joseph Schabel was the first on-duty officer to respond to the 911 which reported the beating in Bayview, outside the home of an off-duty officer.

Schabel admits to kicking Jude in the head but lying about it. He is pleading guilty to depriving Jude of his civil rights by assaulting him and obstructing justice by lying to investigators. He has been suspended from the police department (and will be fired soon) and faces up to 20 years in prison.

Jon Clausing is pleading guilty to charges of conspiring with other officers to violate the civil rights of Jude and Lovell Harris by injuring, oppressing, threatening and intimidating them. He was off-duty at the time of the beating, and he admits to cutting Jude’s friend, Harris, with a knife. He faces up to 10 years in prison. Both men will probably receive lighter sentences because of their cooperation with federal prosecutors. Clausing was fired in mid-2005 for not cooperating in the internal investigation. He initially appealed his firing, but dropped the appeal earlier this year.

Three former Milwaukee police officers, Jon Bartlett, Andrew Spengler, and Daniel Masarik, went on trial in Milwaukee County for the beating of Jude. Spengler and Masarik were acquitted, and the jury was deadlocked on charges against Bartlett. Steven Biskupic committed to doing a federal investigation into the same matter.

On the evening in question, October 24, 2004, Jude and Harris went to a party hosted by Spengler and attended by several off-duty police officers. They left quickly, but Jude was accused of stealing a wallted and badge. Up to twelve off-duty officers beat and kicked Jude, shoved pens into his ears, and threatened him with a knife. Many of the officers have failed to cooperate with the investigations, and they are accused of perpetuating a “code of silence” among police officers.