Cop Acquitted Of Manslaughter Seeks Disability Pay

Detective’s recommended firing owes to public pressure, his attorney says
Chicago Det. Dante Servin, last year, hears a Cook County judge acquit him of criminal charges in his fatal shooting of Rekia Boyd, 22. The Chicago Police Board announced the resignation of Det. Dante Servin this summer. Pool photo by John J. Kim, Chicago Tribune
Detective’s recommended firing owes to public pressure, his attorney says
Chicago Det. Dante Servin, last year, hears a Cook County judge acquit him of criminal charges in his fatal shooting of Rekia Boyd, 22. The Chicago Police Board announced the resignation of Det. Dante Servin this summer. Pool photo by John J. Kim, Chicago Tribune

Cop Acquitted Of Manslaughter Seeks Disability Pay

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A former Chicago police detective acquitted in the off-duty killing of an unarmed black woman is seeking disability pay.

Dante Servin argues he suffers post-traumatic stress disorder from the fatal 2012 shooting of 22-year-old Rekia Boyd.

He could get tens of thousands of dollars until his police pension kicks in. A police pension board attorney said the first step is for the board to decide if Servin qualifies for disability pay.

Servin faced involuntary manslaughter and other charges in Boyd’s shooting death but a judge acquitted him, suggesting prosecutors filed the wrong charges.

Servin claimed he shot into a crowd near his Douglas Park home because he saw someone point a gun at him. Prosecutors said the man was actually pointing a cell phone.

Five months ago, Servin resigned just days before a hearing to decide if he should be fired in connection with the shooting death.

Servin’s attorney, Tom Pleines, said his client applied for disability pay a month prior to his resignation. Pleines had previously said Servin resigned under public pressure.

Ald. Chris Taliaferro, 29th Ward, was a police sergeant and once served as an internal affairs investigator. He said some people from the community will likely see Servin’s claims of PTSD as a ploy.

“I think it’s an opportunity for him to be medically examined to see if he indeed suffers from it,” he said. “Whatever the outcome of that medical examination is, I think the city will handle this matter.”

The Associated Press contributed to this story.

Susie An is a reporter with WBEZ. You can follow her @soosieon.