Plaintiff:
Vincent E. Blackwell
Incident date:
10/17/2007
Location:
4300 W. Monroe St.
Allegations:
Blackwell was in front of his relative's West Garfield Park home in Ford's parked car when officers drove up in a squad car. The officers ordered Blackwell, who was a passenger, to exit the car, and then they searched him. They found no contraband on him. Ford, who owned and had been driving the car, had entered the house to use the bathroom before the officers arrived. The officers took Blackwell's cellphone and started punching buttons on the phone, while asking him to find them some guns. Blackwell was seized and placed in handcuffs while they searched Ford's car without a warrant or without permission. Although the officers found no contraband inside, they arrested Blackwell and seized the car. At the police station, officers showed Blackwell bags of a controlled substance. Blackwell protested that he did not have drugs on him, and the officers replied, “You do now.” Blackwell was booked and charged with felony drugs charges and traffic charges. He was incarcerated for two months. Ford never received her car or the personal property that had been inside the car at the time of Blackwell's arrest. The charges against Blackwell were dismissed.