The following is a letter from 25-year-old Adrian Rucker, the young man arrested “in connection” to the June 5th killing of CPD officer Krystal Rivera, with minor grammatical edits.
Rivera was shot from behind by her partner, Carlos Baker, a Chicago cop with a lengthy rap sheet of complaints against him, including multiple instances of violence against women and his fellow officers. Adrian and another young man were arrested and swiftly blamed as responsible for Rivera’s murder, and despite the truth coming out revealing her partner as her killer, the two men are still being pinned as the reason for her killing (though neither pulled the trigger that took her life). The following are his words and testimony from inside Cook County Jail, where he has been held since June 8th.
My name is Adrian Rucker, I’m one of two people who was incarcerated for the incident that occurred on 82nd and Drexel where Officer Rivera was “accidentally” gunned down by her corrupt partner Carlos Baker, who was not even supposed to be working at the time due to being placed on a probationary leave from work! Since the incident occurred, the mayor of Chicago and the Chicago Police Department used my name along with my picture to try and paint me as a bad guy and the one responsible for everything that occurred that night.
They used the news and press conferences to slander my image without even doing a proper investigation at first, then when they did an “investigation” and found out that one of their own, corrupt officer Carlos was responsible and lied about everything that happened, they switched their story round and tried to label it a “tragic accident!” Not once did they use Carlos’ name or image on the news like they did me, they tried to keep him out the public image! In Carlos Baker’s short 4 years [at CPD] there’s been many red flags raised about him, his ability to do his job correctly, and his credibility as a person and as a police officer. Carlos Baker has been involved in an incident where he flashed a firearm while on a date with someone, its said that he had been involved in a gun buy back scandal where a firearm was bought back by the Chicago Police Department but ended up on the streets of Chicago and was involved in countless shootings and was later recovered on a teenager in Chicago, and another incident that happened recently where he was caught harassing and assaulting another police officer who was out at a bar off-duty, trying to get [the bar owner] to delete the video footage (which in the court system would be a felony charge of tampering with a witness for any normal person).
Not only me but countless other inmates, other people who have heard of the situation, and Officer Rivera’s family believe Carlos Baker is a corrupt officer and should be arrested, face some kind of charges, and be held accountable for what occurred and what happened to officer Rivera. It’s not fair that a cop can “accidentally” kill another cop and get a slap on the wrist because it was “in the line of duty”, but if it was the other way around, even if it was truly an accident, a regular civilian would most likely be facing life in prison!
It’s not fair that I have to sit in Cook County Jail where a lot of us are treated poorly, fed poorly, have to sleep and live in poorly kept rooms and units where mice and rats run rampant, and bathe in showers that don’t get hot at all, while Carlos Baker the real person responsible gets to go home and sleep and eat peacefully. While I have to sit and fight 113 outrageous charges, [While they are] trying to make me suffer as I wait for mu day in this corrupt court system, Carlos hasn’t had a charge or had a day in court pertaining to this incident. He’s been able to walk free while he’s harmed other female officers and other people, and has not faced any charges or consequences because he’s a police officer!
He should be held accountable for his actions just like any regular person would be, no matter their career, their standing, or who they know or associate with. How can any of us trust this corrupt police department or court system to investigate their own, fact check everything, uphold the law to everyone involved, and hold their own accountable for their lies and actions, if they can’t truthfully tell the public or Officer Rivera’s family, the people who deserve the truth more than anybody in this situation. Her family stated that they were shown an altered and edited body cam footage of the incident that took the life of their beloved family member!
If they are not being truthful with the people who lost a loving mother, daughter, aunt, cousin, etc., how can we expect anything but lies and corruption from those same people, [when] they can’t be honest about what happened to one of their own!
I feel this whole case and situation is bigger than me and I’m being used as a pawn, the fall guy, to put them blame on and take the heat for the corrupt police department and Officer Carlos Baker! I feel as they know they made countless mistakes but won’t admit to them! The first big mistake was letting Carlos on duty when he shouldn’t have been! Not only does the Rivera family believe that if he wasn’t working she would be alive, but everyone with knowledge of this case agrees as well! A lot of people think and feel that what Carlos did that night wasn’t right or acceptable. If he had followed protocol, a lot could have been prevented.
I feel that there is a lot of unanswered questions, a lot of lies that haven’t but should come to light, but a lot of corruption that will unfold as well! Not only should all this happen for me but most importantly for Rivera’s family. I send my deepest condolences to her family and friends.
– Adrian
Dare to Struggle 