Jury Rules In Favor Of Seven Chicago Police Officers
On January 18, 2011, after a week long trial before the Honorable Virginia Kendall, a federal court jury found that seven Chicago police officers were not liable on all counts in a civil rights lawsuit brought by plaintiff Gregory Smith. Smith had alleged that the police officers used excessive force and stomped on his hand, causing a dislocation of his ring finger. He also alleged that several officers failed to intervene during the alleged beating and that he was denied medical attention. The jury rejected all of Smith's claims. Key evidence in the case was the fact that the medical evidence showed that it was impossible for Smith's finger to become dislocated due to the stomping he claimed, that Smith had plead guilty to the narcotics offenses he was arrested for, and the testimony of the officers that Smith resisted their attempts to arrest him and had to be pulled from a fence that Smith would not let go of. Smith was represented by attorneys Jeff Neslund, Rob Robertson, and Mike Robbins. The police officers were represented by attorneys Shneur Nathan, Jonathan Boulahanis and Monifa Gray from the firm Andrew M. Hale & Associates.
