Ex-Cop Pleads Guilty in Gliniewicz Investigation Threats

The retired Chicago police officer who threatened practically everyone investigating the death of Fox Lake’s disgraced suicide cop, Charles Joseph Gliniewicz, pleaded guilty Thursday to misdemeanor disorderly conduct as part of a plea agreement.

Joseph Battaglia, 54, of Oak Lawn, was sentenced to court supervision. Felony charges of telephone harassment were dropped.

Battaglia may not use drugs or alcohol, possess weapons and or contact anyone on the Lake County Major Crime Task Force under the terms of his supervision. Lake County prosecutors said he also must receive a mental-health evaluation.

Battaglia’s threats included investigators, coroner’s office employees as well as Coroner Thomas Rudd and Lake County Major Crime Task Force Commander George Filenko.

The task force eventually determined that Gliniewicz, initially believed to have been murdered, actually killed himself to escape criminal charges in connection with his pilfering of funds from his local police Explorers unit.

Authorities said Battaglia called the Lake County Coroner’s Office on Sept. 11 and threatened to harm all the of the task force members investigating the shooting death of Gliniewicz unless Gliniewicz’s death was ruled a suicide. At the time, just days into the investigation, Gliniewicz’s death was being investigated as a homicide.

Battaglia made the calls from his Oak Lawn home in the 5600 block of West 103rd Street, where he was arrested.