Plaintiff:
Charles Norwood
Incident date:
05/22/2010
Location:
3151 W. Harrison St.
Allegations:
Norwood, 18, is an African-American gay man whom officers arrested for a minor violation. The officers took him to the 11th District station and placed him in a cell in an isolated area. Norwood believes he was placed in this isolated cell because he is gay. At the lockup, Norwood encountered Officer Stewart. Officer Stewart told Norwood that if Norwood engaged in sexual acts with him or performed sexual acts for Officer Stewart to observe, that he would get Norwood out on bond earlier than expected. Feeling coerced and vulnerable, Norwood was sexually abused by Officer Stewart. After this first incident, Norwood was arrested four more times for offenses that included soliciting rides on the public way, soliciting unlawful business and prostitution. While in lockup during these instances, Norwood was placed in an isolated cell, where Officer Stewart confronted him and coerced him into performing sexual acts. Norwood was not the only gay individual whom Officer Stewart targeted and sexually abused.