Police Brutality
When you are met with police brutality in Chicago, you’re not just a victim; you’re a warrior against inbred systems of injustice. Police brutality and misconduct hits areas like Englewood and Roseland hard, and it’s time to take a stand and make these systems pay. If you have been assaulted, had your rights violated, or been threatened by a Chicago police officer, a Chicago police brutality lawyer is ready to aggressively fight for your rights.
At C. Norris Law Group, we aren’t new to this. We’ve seen countless clients get attacked and treated poorly by the CPD and the legal system, which is stacked against them. It’s time to say enough is enough and stand up for what is right. When your civil rights are on the line, you need immediate and decisive action. You need Cierra N. Norris, who is not afraid to take the fight right to the police. Let’s fight for your rights and put this legal matter behind you.
Police Brutality in Chicago Is Not New
For decades, the news headlines have reported incidents of police brutality daily. If you have experienced police brutality or excessive use of force firsthand, you have a right to seek justice. Microaggression by a few police officers has spread public distrust throughout the city. It is essential to hold those officers accountable for their misconduct.
In the last two decades, more than 250,000 complaints of police misconduct and brutality have been reported in Chicago alone. In many of these situations, the government or court system involved claimed that these reports were unsubstantiated and lacked any real evidence. Attorney Cierra N. Norris is not here to play but is ready to take justice to the streets when your civil rights have been violated by the CPD.
Examples of Police Brutality
Do not be afraid to step forward. Contact our Chicago office to learn how we can assist you. Our attorneys will stand by you and fight to uphold your constitutional rights and stand up to all forms of police brutality or misconduct, including:
- Use of excessive force. This can include the unwarranted or unjustified use of hitting, kicking, restraining, tasering, or other forms of physical violence on a victim by the police.
- Use of deadly force. When a CPD officer uses deadly force in an unnecessary or uncalled-for way, this can be considered an act of police brutality. Examples of the use of deadly force can include the use of neck restraints, chokeholds, or unjustified shootings.
- Verbal attacks. This can occur when a member of the CPD uses offensive slurs or derogatory names against an individual. These verbal attacks are typically based on the victim’s skin color, race, national origin, or other protected characteristics.
- Racial profiling. This can occur when an officer of the CPD specifically targets or discriminates against an individual or a group of people based on their skin color, race, nationality, religion, or other similar characteristics. In fact, 41% of all Black Americans say they have either been stopped or detained because of their race.
- Falsifying evidence. When a CPD officer forges, fabricates, or otherwise creates alleged “evidence” to support their arrest or disprove claims of your innocence, this is illegal and considered a form of police misconduct.
- Illegal search and seizure. Under the Fourth Amendment, it is your right to have a reasonable expectation of privacy. While this does not always mean your property will never be subjected to a legal search and seizure, it does require that CPD officers obtain a search warrant first by demonstrating probable cause. If the CPD takes part in an illegal search and seizure, this is a direct violation of your civil rights.
- Unreasonable searches or seizures of your person or property.
- False arrest. This can involve instances where an individual is arrested or restrained without any lawful justification for the action. You might be the victim of false arrest in Chicago if an officer of the CPD arrests you without having any actual reason to suspect that you have committed a crime.
- Malicious behavior. This typically occurs when a CPD officer takes part in certain actions purely out of malice toward you, typically based on a protected characteristic, such as skin color or disability. Common acts of malicious behavior can include the reckless use of a weapon, the use of illegal restraints, or unnecessary physical violence.
- Witness tampering. This can happen in situations where a CPD officer attempts to influence a witness in a criminal proceeding. This might include bribing a witness to offer false testimony or intimidating them to prevent them from testifying.
- Intimidation. These refugees use methods used by the CPD to make you afraid or comply with them against your will or judgment. This could involve the use of verbal threats, entering your personal space to get you to consent to a search or admit to a crime, or limiting your personal freedoms and movement.
- Perjury. The term “perjury” is used to describe the act of lying while under legal oath. A police officer who commits this act does so when they provide the courts with false testimony regarding the facts or circumstances of a case to gain an advantage.
- Sexual assault or rape. This is a form of police brutality and involves sexual violence against a victim as a direct violation of their civil rights.
- False imprisonment. If you are falsely imprisoned by a CPD officer, this is a violation of your rights, and your attorney will work to see that justice is served.
- Deaths in custody. When an individual dies in custody due to acts of police brutality, neglect, or misconduct, certain members of that individual’s family may be able to file a claim against the CPD to recover damages. Cierra N. Norris is here to help you do just that.
If a police officer or corrections officer violates your rights, which the U.S. Constitution and Illinois law protect, you may have the standing to file a legal claim against the officer in civil court. We can also defend you against any related criminal charges. At C. Norris Law Group, justice doesn’t just happen in the courtroom; it happens in the streets, and we are here to fight it where it occurs.
Battling Police Misconduct One Case at a Time Through Section 1983 Claims
Federal law permits filing a civil rights claim, called a Section 1983 claim, when a law officer or corrections officer, while acting under the “color of law,” violates a person’s protected rights, privileges, or immunities. For example, when a police officer makes a false arrest or when a corrections officer verbally abuses an inmate, they are misusing their authority and power, thus acting under the color of law.
These cases are complex. One of our experienced Chicago police brutality attorneys can help you file a claim to seek an injunction or monetary compensation for damages, including punitive damages and attorneys’ fees. You may feel unsure about how to take on those in power, but that is what we are here for. You don’t have to face this alone.
What to Do if You Are the Victim of Police Brutality or Misconduct
If you believe you are the victim of an incident of police brutality, there are a number of simple actions you can take that can protect your rights. These actions include:
- Writing down or otherwise recording your memory of the event of misconduct or brutality.
- Record the names and contact information of anyone who might have witnessed the event.
- Seek medical attention if necessary by getting to the closest Chicago emergency room. This will not only ensure that you are physically taken care of, but it can also help to make sure there is a legal record of the trauma and harm you have sustained.
- You will then want to call Cierra. She’s your warrior both in the courthouse and on the streets when it comes to police brutality. She’s not about to go down without a fight.
Ight So Boom: Hire a Police Brutality Lawyer Who Is Not Afraid to Fight
It can feel intimidating to have to go up against the CPD, but here’s the thing: Cierra N. Norris has been doing this for years now, and she is not afraid to take the fight all the way to the courthouse. Our team is here to gather evidence to support your claim, review all personnel files of the CPD officers involved, subpoena and depose witnesses, and represent you in all communications or hearings related to your claims case.
Cierra N. Norris is not afraid of the courtroom. Whatever your police misconduct or police brutality case entails, we are ready to fight aggressively for justice to be served.
Call Cierra Today
You deserve to be treated with dignity and respect. If your rights have been violated by the CPD, it’s time to take a stand for justice. At C. Norris Law Group, we are here to handle all aspects of your police brutality or misconduct case, from filing the initial claim to calculating your damages to standing up in front of a judge and saying enough is enough. Cierra N. Norris is a force to be reckoned with, and she’s here to fight for you. Contact our offices today.
