A Chicago woman who stole a police car, dragged an officer, and was naked at the time of the incident was acquitted of all charges after a judge agreed with her mental insanity defense.
Whitley Temple, 35, was found not guilty on one count of attempted murder and two counts of aggravated battery to a police officer, vehicle hijacking, and possession of a stolen vehicle. The incident occurred in June 2022 when Temple stole a police car and dragged an officer who found her lying naked on a street in West Garfield Park.
Video of the encounter, which circulated on social media, shows the officer struggling with a woman in the driver's seat of his patrol SUV. She puts the vehicle in reverse and the officer tumbles out of the unlocked front door. For a few moments, the SUV drags the officer as the driver backs up until the cop breaks away from the vehicle.
Temple was later apprehended after she drove the police car at 90 mph down the Kennedy Expressway and crashed into four cars at Harrison Street and Damen Avenue in the Illinois Medical District on the Near West Side. Poppish, a 23-year veteran of the force, was hospitalized and required stitches for an injury to his head.
Temple's defense lawyer argued she "was in a psychotic state" and had concerned her family and friends for days before the incident. She had a "paranoid idea" that people were after her and wanted to kill the women in her family, the attorney said. The attorney also said Temple believed she was sexually assaulted before the incident.
Judge Tyria Walton found Temple not guilty by reason of insanity on the charges of aggravated battery to a police officer, vehicle hijacking, and possession of a stolen vehicle. While Temple will remain free, she must report to court for a meeting with mental health officials on a treatment plan.
The incident has raised questions about police procedures for dealing with individuals in mental health crises. Some critics argue that police should be better trained to recognize mental health issues and de-escalate situations without using excessive force. Others argue that police should be equipped with tasers or other non-lethal weapons to use in such situations.
The Cook County Sheriff's Office released a statement saying that it is "committed to providing mental health crisis intervention training to all of its deputies" and that it is "working with community partners to improve the response to individuals in mental health crisis."
Temple's acquittal highlights the complexities of mental health and the challenges law enforcement faces when dealing with individuals in crisis. It remains to be seen what changes will be made in response to the incident and how police departments will approach mental health emergencies in the future.
