Home invasionPhysical disabilityExcessive forceHog-tiedPepper sprayTaserDied in custody
Plaintiff:
Gefery N. Johnson
Incident date:
08/04/2007
Location:
8112 S. Green St.
Allegations:
Johnson was in his bedroom at his mother's house when someone called 911 asking for him to be removed from the home. When the officers arrived, Johnson was naked and non-combative. He asked them if he could use the bathroom; they agreed, and handcuffed him. While Johnson was sitting on the toilet, naked and handcuffed, Sgt. Bednarek, without provocation, fired a Taser at him twice. Bednarek then sprayed Johnson with two canisters of pepper spray and fired his Taser several more times. He also applied electrical shocks directly to Johnson's body. Officer Lenski then sprayed Johnson again. A number of officers forcibly removed Johnson from the bathroom and threw him on the dining-room floor, where Officer Coffey, who weighed more than 400 pounds, placed his knee on Johnson's shoulder and pushed his body weight into Johnson's forehead and face. Officers hog-tied Johnson and carried him by his ankles and wrists out of the house and threw him in the back of a police wagon. When paramedics arrived, Bednarek told them to treat the officers, who were overcome by the pepper spray, and not to provide care to Johnson. At some point, Johnson became unresponsive. He later died.