Trial begins in 2010 murder of CPD Officer Michael Flisk, Stephen Peters

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Trial began Monday in the 2010 murders of Chicago Police Officer Michael Flisk and former Chicago Housing Authority officer Stephen Peters. Timothy Herring, who was 19 at the time of the shooting, is charged with two counts of first-degree murder.

Officer Flisk, an evidence technician, was just doing his job, dusting for prints and taking photographs of a sports car after its stereo system was stolen. He was in uniform and talking to Peters, the owner, when they were both shot in the head.

Prosecutor Thomas Mahoney made no qualms when introducing the defendant to the jury on the first day of trial, saying, "Ladies and gentlemen, meet Timothy Herring, cop killer."

Herring was on parole for a 2007 armed robbery at a liquor store and had an electronic monitoring bracelet on his ankle when Officer Flisk and Peters were killed. Prosecutors said he killed the men because he didn't want to go back to prison.

He allegedly told four friends he killed Flisk, 46, and Peters, 44, and immediately after cut his braids and gave the gun to another a man, prosecutors said. One of his fingerprints was found at the scene, prosecutors said.

However, Herring's public defender said there were no witnesses to the murders and no weapon was recovered. Herring's attorney said the fingerprint is in question and the witnesses were pressured by police to come forward or were attracted to the $20,000 reward.

An emotional call to 9-1-1 by Peters' mother was played in the packed courtroom on Monday.

Herring faces mandatory life in prison if convicted of the killings.