2 Investigators: Family Of Philip Coleman Wants Culture Change In Chicago Police Department
(CBS) -- The Chicago City Council approved a nearly $5 million for the family of Philip Coleman.
In 2012, Coleman died after being Tasered by police. CBS 2 Investigator Dave Savini fought to get that video showing what happened to Coleman released. Savini reports the settlement is bringing the Coleman family little comfort.
It's not the money the family of Philip Coleman wanted. What they wanted is a change in the behavior of police officers and they want the ones involved in his death to be prosecuted.
"It's a hole in my heart," said Jacqueline Coleman, Philip's sister. "It's a frustration with those cops still being on the street it saddens me."
She says today's nearly $5-million-dollar settlement in her brother's death doesn't take care of the bigger problems inside the Chicago Police Department and IPRA which oversees police misconduct.
"I hope that my son's death is going to cause some major realistic changes in the police department culture and in its policies and procedures," said Percy Coleman, Philip's father.
The police video shows a Taser being used on Coleman and then an officer dragging him on the ground from his cell. While in custody, Coleman was Tasered 16 times, but he never should have been taken to jail says Coleman's brother Jeffery.
"He needed to go to a hospital," Jeffery said. "They told my father they don't do hospitals. They do jails."
Philip Coleman had suffered a mental breakdown. His father thinks it was from all the work shouldered with the family business.
"I had heart surgery he just started working everything himself and maybe put too much pressure on himself," Percy Coleman said.
The University of Chicago graduate who had no criminal record became the victim of police misconduct said the judge in the civil case.
The judge concluded jailer Keith Kirkland used excessive force by dragging Coleman. He had little to say when CBS 2 confronted him.
The judge also said Sergeant Tommie Walker was wrong to not stop the dragging. Walker, now retired, can be seen on video putting Coleman in a chokehold.
Another sergeant in charge, William Meador, held his legs.
The 2 Investigators started digging into the case two years ago and fought to get the video released.
Part of that video shows Sgt. Meador laughing and other officers even as they wait for emergency personnel to treat Coleman after the Taser was used.
"They were laughing?" Jacqueline Coleman said. "How do you live with yourself? How do you do that knowing that you did that to another human being, treating him like an animal."
IPRA initially cleared all the officers of wrongdoing, but reopened the case after CBS 2 forced the video's release. Today, the mayor said more mental health training for some police officers is moving forward, but the family wants mandatory training for all of them.