Plaintiff:
Tavares Hamilton
Incident date:
03/22/2015
Location:
3556 S. Halsted St.
Allegations:
Hamilton was at a bar when he realized his phone and several other patrons' phones had been stolen. The bar's security called the police, and Officer Kroll and another officer arrived at the scene. They arrested Hamilton on suspicion of criminal trespass based on a complaint signed by the bar's security personnel. Hamilton had previously sued Kroll in a civil rights claim, for which Hamilton received a settlement of $42,000 from the city. When Kroll brought Hamilton to the police station, he apparently told his fellow officers about the previous lawsuit. After the officer had gone off duty, one or more police officers used excessive force against Hamilton, injuring his face and body. Hamilton reported the abuse to a sergeant, who called the Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA). The next day, an IPRA investigator interviewed Hamilton at the station and took pictures of Hamilton's bruising and swelling. The investigator, however, failed to make any effort to determine which officers had beaten Hamilton, claiming it was “not his job.” The criminal trespass charge against Hamilton was ultimately dismissed. Hamilton was wearing diamond earrings when arrested, which were removed once he was taken into custody. His earrings were never returned to him.