Quadriplegic man punches police officer??

[Barklessdog]

http://www.suntimes.com/news/24-7/1074132,CST-NWS-suit25.article

A quadriplegic man sued the Chicago Police Department in federal court Thursday, claiming officers yanked him out of the passenger seat of a car in 2006, dragged him to the ground and beat him up even though he kept yelling "I'm paralyzed." Casares told the officers at least four times that he was paralyzed, but they pulled him from the car and beat him anyway, his attorney, Blake Horwitz said.

Officer Belinda Bernal, one of the seven officers Cesares is suing, said in an arrest report that Casares punched her in the left eye "causing redness and bruising." She changed her story at a bench trial, saying she was punched in the right side of the face, according to Horwitz.

The officers appear to have been members of the Targeted Response Unit deployed across the city to fight crime in "hot spots."

Another officer, William Cozzi, was recently charged with violating the civil rights of a man in a wheelchair. Cozzi was caught on a hospital security camera beating the drunk, unruly man.

[Dave W]

It says he was a passenger, not the driver. But I wonder, if he's as paralyzed as he claims, why was he not in a wheelchair or in a specially outfitted car? Just seems odd to me.

Unfortunately there have been so many problems in the Chicago PD that it's made people distrustful of police explanations.

[Barklessdog]

I have visions of Monty Python & Holy Grail Black Night Scene in my head.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nL0dnrFbhtE&feature=related

[Dave W]

'tis but a scratch. 

[rahock]

Many moons ago, I guy I went to high school with had a nuerological disorder and as a result, he staggered a bit when he walked and sometimes his speech was a littled slurred. I've got to admit it looked like he was Saturdaynight 12:00 F'd up most of the time. Everytime he would walk down the street the cops would come down on him, and many times they were pretty rough right off the bat.
He was a really good guy, but I'll tell you for sure....... this is one SOB who grew up to hate cops

Rick

[Chris P.]

A friend of mine is in a similar situation. Because of a dissease his pupils are very widened. He looks stoned all the time:) He works for the leading Dutch pop magazine and he always has troubles coming into venues.... No stories about encounters with the police though...

[SKATE RAT]

wait a minute...they don't let stoned people into clubs in the Netherlands?

[uwe]

This is in ill taste (as usual from me), but could it be that the police thought it a lame excuse?

[Chris P.]

wait a minute...they don't let stoned people into clubs in the Netherlands?

We get stoned when we're in!

You're bad, Uwe!