- DOCUMENT: Maday's letter to then-girlfriend
Robert Maday, 42, is on trial for a series of crimes that occurred during a two-day alleged crime spree after he escaped from custody.
Between videotape, witnesses and physical evidence, prosecutors say this should be an easy one for the jury to figure out.
"I have a gun." That is what federal prosecutors say Maday told tellers during a Bloomingdale bank robbery caught on surveillance tape.
Tellers handed over $32,000. The crime occurred during Maday's 27 hours on the run after he escaped custody on the way to court while being driven by two Cook County state's attorney investigators two years ago.
Maday is accused of stealing the investigators' two guns.
On trial for the escape, bank robbery and firearms charges, Maday's attorney argues his client should be found not guilty on one of the weapons charges because there is no proof on the videotape that Maday used the guns during the bank robbery.
"There's the videotape, which seems to show a bulge in the shirt, which is much larger than either of the guns that were confiscated," said attorney Anthony Sassan, "as well as the testimony of the bank employees, none of which saw a gun."
Besides the bank robbery, prosecutors say Maday's two-day violent crime spree included carjacking two women in separate incidents. It all came to an end when Maday crashed a stolen car into a pole while being chased by West Chicago police.
After he was recaptured, Maday wrote a letter to his then-girlfriend saying: "I am so sorry. I was so close to you, Lisa, you will never understand. I almost had you in my arms again. You said you needed me. I was coming."
Prosecutors say the evidence is overwhelming in this case. Even Maday's own lawyer knows some of the charges, especially the escape, will be difficult to escape.
"It is a little difficult to contest the fact that one day he was in custody and the next day he was driving a car in a chase," said Sassan.
Maday faces several years in prison if he's found guilty on all charges. He already faces 43 years in state prison stemming from the carjacking in this case and some previous cases.
Late Tuesday afternoon, jurors asked to see the guns in question. They'll be allowed in court for 90 minutes Wednesday morning when jurors return for a second day.
