Forced confessionThreats/intimidationWitness manipulationExcessive forceFalse arrest or reportPhysical force
Plaintiff:
Michelle Riley
Incident date:
08/15/2008
Location:
3151 W. Harrison
Allegations:
Riley, a 24-year-old African-American woman, was stopped in Humboldt Park by three police officers and forced to go to the police station. Belcher, a 30 year old African-American man, was in his Humboldt Park residence when officers took him to the police station. That same day, in a nearby location, two police officers had been shot and killed while sitting in their parked vehicle. Before his death, one of the officers informed police that there had been three assailants and a maroon car that had fled west after the shooting. Riley and Belcher were both questioned about the homicide and later released. The following day, Riley was contacted by a detective and told to return to the station. A few hours earlier, officers had also demanded that Belcher return. Riley returned to the station with her mother. She was placed in a locked interrogation room and told to implicate Jason Austin. She was coerced to say that she had seen Austin driving in a maroon Buick. Riley informed the officers that she had not seen Austin driving in a maroon Buick the day of the shooting. The detectives shouted obscenities at Riley while threatening her with criminal prosecution if she refused to testify. The detectives informed her that her mother had left the station and could not protect her. Riley was handcuffed to a steel ring on the wall and a male detective slapped her with force across the face, demanding the false statement when she continued to refuse. After enduring other physical assault, Riley agreed to testify. She was released after being detained for over 20 hours. In the adjacent room, Belcher was also being forced to implicate Austin. Belcher informed detectives that he had not seen Austin driving a maroon vehicle, but rather a green minivan. He was handcuffed to the wall and repeatedly hit on the head and body. One of the detectives choked him until he agreed to sign the false statement. He was released after being detained for over 48 hours. Belcher also witnessed detectives assault Riley in the adjacent room.