Police Head to Springfield for Convicted Cop Killer’s Parole Hearing

Chicago police officers will be boarding a bus for Springfield in the wee morning hours Thursday to attend the parole hearing of a man convicted of killing a Chicago police officer in 1973.

Joseph Bigsby, 54, is serving 200 years in a Danville prison for the murder of Officer Edward Barron on Sept. 28, 1973, 50 years for attempted murder of another police officer, and 20 years for armed robbery, a Chicago Tribune 2011 news story reported.

The sentences were imposed to run concurrently.

Bigsby was 16 years old when he shot Barron who was pursuing Bigsby after he had committed two armed robberies that netted the teenager $4.10 and a watch, according to news reports at the time.

Barron’s partner, Daniel Abate, shot Bigsby before he was apprehended in the 7900 block of South Colfax Avenue. Police recovered a gun with nine spent shells from the teenager.

Bigsby has been serving time in an Illinois prison since sentencing was imposed in May 1975, the Tribune said.

At the time of his death, Barron was married and the father of a son, then 14, and a daughter, then 13.

Chicago police officers made a similar sojourn to Bigsby’s parole hearing in 2011, which had been denied.

Police will also be attending the parole hearings of two other inmates convicted of murdering two Chicago police officers in 1970.

The trip is intended to show support for fallen officers and to ensure that the individuals responsible for these crimes serve their full sentences are denied early parole, police News Affairs said.