Taurins Pope, a 33-year-old African American male, was fatally shot on February 11, 2017, in an alley behind 124 N. Menard Avenue in Chicago. Surveillance footage captured the incident, but the grainy quality made it difficult to identify the perpetrators or their vehicles. Taurins Pope was shot multiple times, including in the head, and was pronounced dead at 7:05 a.m.
The Cook County medical examiner’s office confirmed his cause of death as gunshot wounds.
Authorities focused their investigation on James Pope, a close friend of Taurins Pope who shared the same last name but was not related to him. Surveillance footage showed a gold-colored Buick parked in the alley shortly before the shooting. Taurins Pope and James Pope exited the vehicle and engaged in conversation with individuals who arrived in a black BMW. Moments later, James Pope was seen walking behind Taurins Pope and firing multiple shots at him, causing him to collapse. While Taurins Pope lay on the ground, James Pope fired additional rounds before fleeing the scene in the Buick.
Witnesses reported hearing gunfire and seeing James Pope standing over the victim’s body before leaving. Police canvassed the area and located the gold Buick less than a mile away from the crime scene. The vehicle’s temporary license tags were registered to James Pope. When officers arrived at the location, James Pope approached them to inquire about his vehicle, at which point he was taken into custody. Forensic testing of his clothing revealed the presence of gunshot residue on his right pant leg. Additionally, police recovered three 9mm cartridge cases at the crime scene and one fired 9mm cartridge case near the Buick. Ballistic analysis confirmed that all four casings were fired from the same weapon.
James Pope initially claimed that he had driven Taurins Pope to the location, where the victim began drinking alcohol. He stated that he left Taurins Pope there while he went to conduct a drug transaction. However, his account was contradicted by surveillance footage. James Pope was charged with first-degree murder and was denied bail. He spent nearly six years in Cook County Jail before being found not guilty in April 2023. Following his release, James Pope filed a lawsuit against several Chicago Police Department detectives and the City of Chicago, alleging malicious prosecution and unlawful detention. His legal team argued that authorities pursued charges against him despite knowing he was innocent, believing he might have information about Taurins Pope’s murder. The lawsuit seeks compensatory and punitive damages for loss of liberty, emotional distress, and physical harm endured during his incarceration.
