In 2007, the Chicago Police Special Operations Section was dismantled because of the significant police misconduct and civil rights violations committed by some of its officers. However, the aftermath of the Chicago Police Special Operations Section scandal continued this month when a plaintiff, Terrance Thompson, was awarded damages for the misconduct of a former Special Operations Section officer.
Mr. Thompson alleged, and the jury found, that a Special Operations Section officer approached Mr. Thompson in September 2002 and planted a weapon on him. The officer showed Mr. Thompson a gun and said, “Look what I’ve got. Where’s the drug house?” The federal jury found that Mr. Thompson’s right to due process was violated because he did not know that officers from the Special Operations Section regularly falsified reports.
Mr. Thompson served three years in prison on this alleged weapons charge before the government dropped its case due to the scandal of the Special Operations Section. Is a small financial recovery a fair compensation for Mr. Thompson?
The Chicago police, and other government officials, should be held responsible for any civil rights violations they commit. This will not only bring justice to those who have been unfairly harmed but also deter others in our government from committing civil rights violations in the future. The first step in holding government officials accountable is to contact a Chicago civil rights attorney for help.