Lawsuit: Cops brought young man into rival gang territory

Lawsuit: Cops brought young man into rival gang territory

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A young man who was driven by police into rival gang territory in March is suing the City of Chicago.

According to the lawsuit, Miguel Castillo was walking with three friends to a restaurant on a Saturday afternoon when two Chicago police officers pulled their car over and began questioning them. Castillo, a gang member, was put in a police SUV by two other officers who later came to the scene. Chicago police officers Luis Contreras and Susana La Casa drove Castillo to rival gang territory.

The officers opened the doors of the SUV and let a crowd of people, including gang members, who were gathered around taunt and threaten Castillo.  The incident was captured on video and first reported by WBEZ.  (Warning: The video contains strong language)

Attorney Jon Loevy represents Castillo and says, “There are other guys who when they don’t have video tape, this happens to, it just goes anonymously and nothing ever happens, so I think part of what Mr. Castillo is trying to accomplish and we’re trying to accomplish is that this practice shouldn’t happen to other people.”

Loevy’s firm is suing the city on behalf of Castillo for false arrest and intentional infliction of emotional distress, saying the officers’ conduct was “extreme and outrageous.”

According to a Chicago Police Department spokeswoman, Contreras and La Casa remain stripped of police powers and are assigned to administrative duties. The department’s investigation is on-going.

A spokesman for the City of Chicago’s law department said they hadn’t seen the lawsuit yet and therefore could not comment.