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Chicago Police Brutality and Civil Rights Violations Alleged in Recent Illinois Excessive Use of Force Lawsuits

The mother of 19-year-old George Lash is suing the city of Chicago and the Chicago Police Department for excessive use of force and wrongful death. The teenager was shot and killed early Saturday by a cop on a CTA Red Line train.

The plaintiff, Carmela-Lash Cross, says that her son was shot several times at close range even though he didn?t pose a threat. Several witnesses have confirmed to different media outlets that Lash appeared unarmed. Chicago police, however, are claiming that the teenager started fighting with the cops and pointed a gun in their direction.

Illinois Police Brutality
Excessive use of force by a law enforcement officer can lead to Chicago personal injury or wrongful death. Chicago police brutality is against the law and a violation of the victim?s civil rights. Unfortunately, incidents of Illinois excessive use of force continue to occur in Cook County, DuPage County, Will County, Lake County, and other counties throughout Illinois.

Just recently, Kurt Kopek filed a federal excessive use of force complaint against Aurora police. Kopek, who was acquitted earlier this year by a DuPage County jury on charges that he resisted and obstructed officers and committed battery, is accusing the three cops that arrested him on September 2, 2008 of unlawful detention, battery, false arrest, and conspiracy.

Kopek has said that he approached police after finding out that his wife had been arrested in a traffic stop. He claims that as he was walking away from them, per their instructions, they used a Taser on him multiple times and punched him. He later sought medical care for facial bruising, a dislocated knee, stun gun injuries, swelling, and a sprained neck muscle. Police have said that Kopek resisted arrest and was physically combative.

In an unrelated federal complaint, Marlin Brown is suing DuPage County, a number of deputies, and Sheriff John Zaruba for mistakenly holding him in the county jail for over a month. Brown, who was arrested on November 23, 2008 at a bar contends that he was taken to jail and kept there for until January 9, 2009 because jail personnel thought he was another person who was wanted in Cook County for a number of crimes.

Brown contends that not only was he wrongfully held in jail, but also that during this time he was not allowed to attend his grandfather?s funeral and was forced to spend Christmas without his family. The misdemeanor charges against Brown were later dropped in September 2009.

Mother of man slain on CTA train sues city, Chicago Tribune, September 21, 2010

Aurora PD faces excessive force lawsuit, Daily Herald, September 10, 2010

Suit: Man was held in DuPage County jail by mistake, Chicago Breaking News, September 10, 2010

Related Web Resources:
Civil RIghts Violations, United States Department of Justice

Police, City of Chicago

Aurora Police Department

Full post as published by Chicago Injury Attorney Blog on September 22, 2010 (boomark / email).