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  "path": "/news/2026/03/21/chicago-firefighters-show-up-for-hearing-of-man-charged-in-colleagues-death",
  "publishedAt": "2026-03-21T18:52:53.436Z",
  "site": "https://chicago.suntimes.com",
  "textContent": "<p>Chicago firefighters, clad in Chicago Fire Department T-shirts, polos and full uniforms, lined the courtroom at the Cook County Criminal Court Administration Building on Saturday, prepared to see the man charged in the murder of their colleague.</p><p>Chicago firefighter Michael Altman, 32, died Tuesday after he fell through a floor that collapsed during a blaze in Rogers Park.</p><p>Sheaves Slate, 27, was charged with two counts of murder, one count of aggravated arson injuring a firefighter and one count of residential arson. He didn’t appear at his scheduled court hearing Saturday because he was in the hospital, Chicago police officer Jeremy Cruzado said in court.</p><p>The detention hearing was postponed to Monday, when a judge will decide whether Slate should be released or remain in custody while his case is pending.</p><p>Prosecutors presented their case against Slate, saying he was squatting in the apartment when he got in an argument with two other tenants and set fire to a mattress in the building.</p><p>Altman was a Chicago firefighter legacy, continuing the generations-long tradition of working in the department. He was the father of one child and his wife is expecting another baby.</p><p>State Comptroller Susana Mendoza and firefighters at the hearing called on Chicagoans to show up to Slate’s Monday hearing.</p><p>“That’s how we support the family,” Mendoza said.</p><p>Pat Cleary, president of the Chicago firefighters union, said it was encouraging to see the courtroom filled with his brethren.</p><p>“As usual, we support our brothers and sisters, and we always will,” he said.</p><p>Slate also has two retail theft cases pending, and he’s scheduled to appear in court Tuesday.<br></p>",
  "title": "Chicago firefighters show up for hearing of man charged in Michael Altman's death",
  "updatedAt": "2026-03-21T19:05:31.445Z"
}