Women Accuse Chicago Cop of Assaulting Them After Pride Parade
Sat. September 29, 2007 12:00 AM by Gay Chicago Magazine
Chicago, IL -
Three women claim an off-duty Chicago police officer assaulted them and then covered up the crime with the help of two Illinois state troopers, according to a federal lawsuit filed on Thursday.
According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, the women—Kelly Fuery, Debra Sciortino and Nicole Tomaskovic—were driving home from Chicago's gay pride parade in late June when the off-duty officer ran them off the road after the driver had honked at him for driving slowly.
The Chicago cop, William Szura, then repoprtedly called the women degrading names, spit at them, shoved one woman and put another in a chokehold.
Shortly after, the two Illinois state troopers—Martin Miloslavich and Gabriel Aragones—arrived and the women were arrested and charged with battery, according to the Associated Press.
The lawsuit accuses the officers of a hate crime, false arrest, excessive force and conspiracy for the "code of silence" in reporting instances of police misconduct.
"This case is another example of the corruption, cover-up and brutality that is festering inside the Chicago Police Department," attorney Dana Kurtz, who filed the suit on behalf of the three women, told the Associated Press.
In June of this year, Alexander Ruppert filed a federal lawsuit seeking over $50,000 in damages after he alleges two Chicago police officers beat him because of his sexual orientation.
Both lawsuits are part of a string of recent misconduct claims against Chicago police.
Written By Chrys Hudson
According to a report in the Chicago Tribune, the women—Kelly Fuery, Debra Sciortino and Nicole Tomaskovic—were driving home from Chicago's gay pride parade in late June when the off-duty officer ran them off the road after the driver had honked at him for driving slowly.
The Chicago cop, William Szura, then repoprtedly called the women degrading names, spit at them, shoved one woman and put another in a chokehold.
Shortly after, the two Illinois state troopers—Martin Miloslavich and Gabriel Aragones—arrived and the women were arrested and charged with battery, according to the Associated Press.
The lawsuit accuses the officers of a hate crime, false arrest, excessive force and conspiracy for the "code of silence" in reporting instances of police misconduct.
"This case is another example of the corruption, cover-up and brutality that is festering inside the Chicago Police Department," attorney Dana Kurtz, who filed the suit on behalf of the three women, told the Associated Press.
In June of this year, Alexander Ruppert filed a federal lawsuit seeking over $50,000 in damages after he alleges two Chicago police officers beat him because of his sexual orientation.
Both lawsuits are part of a string of recent misconduct claims against Chicago police.
Written By Chrys Hudson