Teen Says He Was Victim of Chicago Police Brutality Involving Rogue Cops from SOS Unit
According to the Chicago personal injury lawsuit filed by 19-year-old Jose Fematt, he and his sister were the terrorized by members of the city’s Special Operations Section (SOS), an elite group of cops in charge of investigating guns and drugs, in 2005. That same unit has since disbanded. Its members, who were considered rogue police officers, were later convicted of committing illegal searches, home invasions, and creating trumped up charges.
Fematt, who was 13 at the time of the alleged Chicago police brutality incident, contends that SOS members barged into the family’s apartment room with guns. They then separated the two siblings, handcuffing Fematt so tightly that his wrists became swollen. While still in his pajamas and barefoot, Fematt was then driven around by a cop who interrogated him about a neighbor and drug allegations. She allegedly threatened to throw him in jail if he ever told anyone what had transpired.
When Fematt’s mom came home and discovered the place ransacked, she packed the family up and they left their home for good. Their lawyer is now saying that the family didn’t report the incident because they were scared.
Fematt filed his Chicago police brutality lawsuit last January. Because he was a minor when the break-in happened, the two-year statute of limitations for his Chicago injury case didn’t start running until he turned 18 last year.
Chicago Police Brutality
Unfortunately, Chicago police brutality continues to be a problem. Instances of abusive use of police force may be as extreme as the incident reported in this Chicago Injury Attorney Blog post, or during situations involving cops attempting to quell a protest or arrest someone under suspicion of committing a crime. Unfortunately, this type of excessive use of force can cause serious injuries, both physical and emotional, for victims.
Many people don’t realize that when they’ve become a victim of Chicago police brutality, their rights have been violated and they may have grounds for a Chicago injury case.
New allegations surface against rogue Chicago police officers in SOS unit, Chicago Tribune, March 28, 2011
Former Elite Police Unit Faces New Misconduct Allegations, Chicagoist, March 29, 2011
Related Web Resources:
Scandals Bring Down Chicago's Elite Police Unit, NPR, October 10, 2007
More Blog Posts:
Chicago Police Brutality: Michael Tillman Suing for Alleged Torture by Jon Burge, Chicago Injury Attorney Blog, July 31, 2010
Chicago to Settle Police Torture Lawsuit for $16.5 Million, Chicago Injury Attorney Blog, May 13, 2010
