North Chicago cop taped punching suspect faces suspension
NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. (WLS) - A police officer caught on tape clobbering a man in the booking room of the North Chicago Police Department is facing suspension without pay.
Officer Emir King will also attend anger management classes and sign a “last chance” agreement, according to North Chicago City Attorney Chuck Smith, who won’t say how many days King will be off work until an agreement is signed.
A police surveillance video of the July 2010 incident in which King punched Paul Smith, now of Lake Villa, in the head, then shoved him into a wall, was shown in December at a City Council meeting by Ralph Peterson of Waukegan.
Peterson was a first cousin of Darrin “Dagwood” Hanna, who died on Nov. 13, a week after he was allegedly beaten and Tasered during his arrest by six North Chicago police officers. Independent investigations into the death by the Lake County Coroner and Illinois State Police have yet to be either completed or made public.
Peterson, who along with other members of the Hanna family, is leading a protest against what he claims is a pattern of rogue policing in the department, comes to meetings of the City Council armed with photos, witnesses and alleged and confirmed victims of police brutality. On Monday, he spoke against two more officers, including Brandon Yost, one of those present during Hanna’s arrest and who allegedly sports spiderweb tattoos on his elbows. Peterson claims the tattoos symbolize gang membership and/or violence against black men.
“We’re looking into that,” Smith said Wednesday. “Unfortunately, I don’t think there’s a lot we can do. There’s no law against having a tattoo. I can only recommend discipline based on violation of rules.”
Peterson also publicized an October 2010 incident in Gurnee in which off-duty Officer William Bogdala displayed a gun during a confrontation with a motorist and his passengers over a loud car stereo.
The Lake County State’s Attorney’s Office declined to press charges in the matter.
Smith said neither he nor Mayor Leon Rockingham had been made aware of the incident, now under investigation.
“Newsome knew,” Smith said.
Police Chief Michael Newsome was placed on leave Jan. 3 after more allegations of excessive force emerged. Rockingham also launched an independent internal investigation headed by retired State Police Col. Robert Johnson. He previously placed the officers involved in the Hanna arrest on desk duty.
Smith said interim Chief James Jackson helped craft the discipline for King.
Johnson is also investigating Hanna’s arrest and the arrest of four other men who required medical care for injuries: Walter Wrather, who suffered a broken tibia from a bite by a police dog; Paul Smith, who underwent brain surgery after he was arrested for burglarizing a car stereo store; Christopher Harper, who said he was repeatedly Tasered outside Frank’s Lounge where he works; and Windell Gilliom, who was allegedly beaten in two separate incidents.
Eighty-eight complaints of excessive force have been lodged against the department in the past four to five years, according to Rockingham.
Johnson on Monday updated council members on the status of each investigation in closed session.
