A white Chicago police officer who fatally shot a black
19-year-old college student and accidentally killed a neighbor has filed a
lawsuit against the teenager’s family, arguing the shooting left him traumatized.
19-year-old college student and accidentally killed a neighbor has filed a
lawsuit against the teenager’s family, arguing the shooting left him traumatized.
Chicago officer Robert Rialmo is seeking $10 million in
damages because he says the shooting of honor engineering student Quintonio
LeGrier left him distressed.
damages because he says the shooting of honor engineering student Quintonio
LeGrier left him distressed.
LeGrier’s family attorney, Basileios Foutris however has some
harsh words for the officer after learning of the lawsuit.
harsh words for the officer after learning of the lawsuit.
After this coward shot a teenager in the back … he has the
temerity to sue him? ‘That’s a new low for the Chicago Police Department,’ Mr Foutris
said.
temerity to sue him? ‘That’s a new low for the Chicago Police Department,’ Mr Foutris
said.
Rialmo’s attorney, Joel Brodsky, said it was important in
the charged atmosphere to send a message that police are ‘not targets for
assaults’ and ‘suffer damage like anybody else.’
the charged atmosphere to send a message that police are ‘not targets for
assaults’ and ‘suffer damage like anybody else.’
Brodsky said that relatives of those fatally shot by the
police, such as the LeGrier family, are looking for ways to get paid after the
city settled the Laquan McDonald shooting case last year for $5 million.
police, such as the LeGrier family, are looking for ways to get paid after the
city settled the Laquan McDonald shooting case last year for $5 million.
‘Ever since the McDonald payoff, people are treating
officer-involved confrontations like a lottery ticket and they’re waiting to
cash it in,’ Brodsky said.
officer-involved confrontations like a lottery ticket and they’re waiting to
cash it in,’ Brodsky said.
The lawsuit provides the officer’s first public account of
how he says the shooting happened, offering details that differ with the
family’s version.
how he says the shooting happened, offering details that differ with the
family’s version.
It says Rialmo, who was responding to a domestic disturbance
call with another officer, opened fire after Quintonio swung a bat at the
officer’s head at close range.
call with another officer, opened fire after Quintonio swung a bat at the
officer’s head at close range.
A downstairs neighbor, 55-year-old Bettie Jones, was
standing nearby and was shot and killed by accident.
standing nearby and was shot and killed by accident.
She was not part of the domestic dispute.
‘The fact that Quintonio’s actions had forced officer Rialmo
to end Quintonio’s life and to accidentally take the innocent life of Bettie
Jones has caused, and will continue to cause, officer Rialmo to suffer extreme
emotional trauma,’ the filing says.
to end Quintonio’s life and to accidentally take the innocent life of Bettie
Jones has caused, and will continue to cause, officer Rialmo to suffer extreme
emotional trauma,’ the filing says.
When arriving at the scene around 4.30am on December 26,
2015, Rialmo rang the doorbell of the two-story apartment building.
2015, Rialmo rang the doorbell of the two-story apartment building.
Jones answered and directed them to the upstairs apartment.
As Rialmo stepped through the doorway, he heard someone
‘charging down the stairway,’ the suit says.
‘charging down the stairway,’ the suit says.
It describes the teen coming down the stairs with a baseball
bat in hand and says LeGrier ‘cocked’ the bat ‘and took a full swing at Officer
Rialmo’s head, missing it by inches’ when the two were around 4 feet apart.
bat in hand and says LeGrier ‘cocked’ the bat ‘and took a full swing at Officer
Rialmo’s head, missing it by inches’ when the two were around 4 feet apart.
The officer then backed away with his weapon still
holstered, according to the suit, while repeatedly shouting at LeGrier to drop
the bat.
holstered, according to the suit, while repeatedly shouting at LeGrier to drop
the bat.
But the suit says Quintonio kept advancing and swung the bat
again.
again.
Only when Quintonio cocked the bat again from 3 or 4 feet
away, did the officer pull out his 9 mm handgun and open fire, the filing says.
away, did the officer pull out his 9 mm handgun and open fire, the filing says.
As he began firing, Rialmo did not see or hear Jones behind
Quintonio, the suit says. It says one of the bullets went through Quintonio’s
body and struck Jones, killing her.
Quintonio, the suit says. It says one of the bullets went through Quintonio’s
body and struck Jones, killing her.
An autopsy determined that Quintoniosuffered six bullet
wounds.
wounds.
The highly unusual suit was filed Friday as the city tries
to grapple with serious questions about the future of its police force.
to grapple with serious questions about the future of its police force.
Quintonio (right) was declared dead at Stroger Hospital
after Chicago officer Robert Rialmo shot him. Bettie Jones, 55 (left), who
lived in the floor below, was also shot and killed by Rialmo
Bloodstains appear in the apartment where Bettie Jones lived
after she and Quintonio were shot by Rialmo
after she and Quintonio were shot by Rialmo
LaTarsha Jones, center, daughter of Bettie Jones, is
comforted by family during a press conference
comforted by family during a press conference
Janet Cooksey listens to speakers talk about the deaths of
her son Quintonio and Bettie Jones
her son Quintonio and Bettie Jones
Janet Cooksey is comforted as she listens to speakers talk
about the death of her son Quintonio
about the death of her son Quintonio
Chicago officer Robert Rialmo seeking $10 million in damages
after he shot and killed Quintonio LeGrier because he said the shooting has caused
him mental distress and trauma
after he shot and killed Quintonio LeGrier because he said the shooting has caused
him mental distress and trauma
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