Autistic Teenager’s Family Alleges Chicago Police Brutality in Federal Lawsuit
Nearly eight months after a Chicago police officer allegedly struck teenager Oscar Guzman in the head with a baton, 17-year-old’s family has filed a civil lawsuit in court alleging Chicago police brutality. The defendants in the case are the City of Chicago, the two officers involved in the alleged assault, and the Independent Police Review Authority.
Guzman has autism. According to a police report, Chicago cops who saw him standing on a Little Village street thought he could be armed because he gestured toward his waist and ran off. They chased him into his family’s restaurant, where he worked, and tried apprehending. Guzman hit the cop’s chest. The cop then tried hitting him on the shoulder but struck his head instead. The officers were patrolling the area because of gang activity.
Guzman’s family, however, says the teenager did not strike the officer. They also claim that the cop hit the boy on the head even though family members at the scene explained that he had special needs. Because of his autism, Guzman walks away from circumstances he does not understand.
The Chicago police brutality complaint also claims that the Independent Police Review Authority, which is tasked with investigating complaints against Chicago cops, employs methods that are biased toward police officers.
Guzman was never charged with committing any crime. He did, however, need eight stitches to sew up the injury he sustained on his head. His family says he was emotionally traumatized by what happened and his sister Nubia is now afraid of police and suffers from night terrors.
Chicago Police Brutality
Our society is no longer ignorant about people with special needs. Like everyone else, special needs individuals have civil rights that should be upheld. Police brutality of any kind is a violation of one’s civil rights.
Even if a police officer isn’t charged with excessive use of force, you still may have grounds for filing a Chicago police brutality lawsuit against the offending cop.
Autistic teen's family sues officers over injury, Chicago Tribune, December 8, 2009
Family Sues Over Alleged Police Beating Of Teen, CBS2, December 7, 2009
Related Web Resources:
Police Brutality Cases Have Cost Chicago $20 Million, The Huffington Post, May 20, 2009
