Chicago Residents File Lawsuit Against The City Demanding Federal Supervision Of CPD
CHICAGO (CBS) -- Some Chicago residents as well as community groups - including Black Lives Matter - have filed a class-action, civil rights lawsuit against the city and some police officers, alleging a pattern of police brutality and asking for something Mayor Emanuel has backed away from: a consent decree.
Among those joining the lawsuit against the city of Chicago: Chante Linwood.
"I am a black woman who lives and works in Chicago, and I know first-hand what it's like to be targeted by police violence," she said.
Linwood said she is a DJ in clubs - and went to a Gold Coast club looking for a job prospect.
"Even though my friend who was DJ-ing that night put me on the list, the club security guard wouldn't let me in because I was wearing Timberlands. And he called over CPD officers.
"Two officers came over, and before I knew it, I was slammed into the side of the building more than once. My hair was pulled and I was shoved to the ground."
The plaintiffs in the federal lawsuit against the city of Chicago include supporters of the family of Pierre Loury, a 16-year old who was shot and killed by police last year.
A shooting that was not justified, the family said.
A relative, Arewakaren Winters, spoke on behalf of the family demanding, as the federal lawsuit does, that a federal judge oversee reforms in the Chicago Police Department.
And refusing to go along with Mayor Emanuel's approach, which is to reform the department without a federal judge's supervision.
"We don't work for him," Winters said. "We're supposed to make that mayor work for us. And I just want him to know that black lives in this city matter. Brown lives in this city matter."
The lawsuit asks that a federal court oversee the Chicago Police Department - and appoint a monitoring team that would oversee a process to redress what plaintiffs' attorneys call "years of unchecked police abuse and a code of silence."
Mayor Emanuel wants an independent monitor to oversee police reforms - without the involvement of a federal judge.
RELATED: Mayor Emanuel Ignores Request About Having The Courts Monitor CPD Changes
The city of Chicago answered the lawsuit by saying it can force change without a federal judge looking over it's shoulder. WBBM's Mike Krauser reports.
