City Council panel OKs nearly $1.5 million in settlements
A Chicago City
Council panel on Monday recommended settling two more police misconduct
lawsuits, one involving allegations of extortion, the other of
coercion.
If approved Wednesday by the full council, the tab for 11 police cases settled since September will reach $10.85 million.
If approved Wednesday by the full council, the tab for 11 police cases settled since September will reach $10.85 million.
The council Finance Committee signed off on paying
$700,000 to a South Side family who alleged rogue police officers extorted
thousands of dollars from them in armed raids on the family’s home in the Roseland
neighborhood.
Officers allegedly entered the home repeatedly in 2004, threatened the people inside with physical violence and arrest and then took money from them, “including an elderly resident’s social security checks,” said Leslie Darling, a high-level attorney for the city.
In one instance, the officers allegedly planted drugs on Larry Wilkins and arrested him. He spent eight months in jail before charges were dismissed after police officers were arrested by federal authorities.
Prosecutors eventually charged five police officers as being part of the South Side shakedown ring and they got sentences ranging from six to 40 years.
The committee also recommended paying $750,000 to Jose Lopez, who was arrested in 2002 for the murder of Gabriel Solis. After spending three years behind bars, Lopez was acquitted.
Lopez alleged that after a man who fit the description of the actual shooter implicated him, police held two other witnesses against their will and coerced them into implicating Lopez, Darling said. At a civil trial last year, 10 of 12 jurors ruled in favor of Lopez, Darling added.
Officers allegedly entered the home repeatedly in 2004, threatened the people inside with physical violence and arrest and then took money from them, “including an elderly resident’s social security checks,” said Leslie Darling, a high-level attorney for the city.
In one instance, the officers allegedly planted drugs on Larry Wilkins and arrested him. He spent eight months in jail before charges were dismissed after police officers were arrested by federal authorities.
Prosecutors eventually charged five police officers as being part of the South Side shakedown ring and they got sentences ranging from six to 40 years.
The committee also recommended paying $750,000 to Jose Lopez, who was arrested in 2002 for the murder of Gabriel Solis. After spending three years behind bars, Lopez was acquitted.
Lopez alleged that after a man who fit the description of the actual shooter implicated him, police held two other witnesses against their will and coerced them into implicating Lopez, Darling said. At a civil trial last year, 10 of 12 jurors ruled in favor of Lopez, Darling added.
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