Law enforcement officers who fail to abide by the rules and duties to which they are bound pose tremendous risks to our communities. Not only does police misconduct degrade public trust in our government and cost taxpayers millions of dollars each year, it costs many Americans their freedom, health and well-being. For some, it can cost their lives. At Power Rogers, LLP, we focus exclusively on representing the injured and the wronged – including victims of discrimination, civil rights abuses and police misconduct.
We are proud of obtaining record-setting verdicts and settlements on behalf of clients, including 2 of the 10 largest police misconduct recoveries paid by the City of Chicago. We know these cases are crucial to helping victims obtain the justice and compensation they deserve, and vital to ensuring accountability on behalf of the government and its agents. In addition to our record of results and recognition, our firm has excelled in cases involving government abuses and civil rights violations, and has handled numerous cases across the country.
Police Misconduct Lawsuits: Seeking Justice For Victims And Families
Partner Larry Rogers Jr., who has served as president of the Illinois Trial Lawyers Association and president of the Cook County Bar Association, the oldest association of African-American attorneys in the nation, has successfully handled police misconduct claims in Chicago, Iowa, Minnesota, Texas, and other U.S. states, including high-profile cases involving Philando Castile, Sandra Bland, Bettie Jones, and others harmed by law enforcement. Larry Rogers Jr. and our team at Power Rogers, LLP, represent victims and families who seek justice and compensation following injustices committed by police and other law enforcement officers.
As civil lawsuits, cases alleging police misconduct do not concern the criminal guilt of officers. Instead, they focus on the financial responsibility of officers, agencies, and municipalities for the preventable harm and losses suffered by victims and their families.
Because civil and criminal cases are separate matters, victims may pursue civil rights claims over police misconduct regardless of whether criminal charges are brought against an officer. Additionally, because civil cases employ a lower burden of proof than what is used in criminal law, victims may still file lawsuits, and win, even if officers are never charged, convicted or acquitted.
What Qualifies As Misconduct?
Police misconduct can take many forms. Examples include:
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We offer free initial consultations so that victims can learn about their options. If you’re unsure whether you have an actionable case, we invite you to contact us and tell us your story.
Our Results In Police Misconduct Cases
Below, we’ve provided brief summaries of some of our successes on behalf of clients and their families.
Tarance T. Etheredge, III v. City of Chicago, Mark Heinzel, Robert McGee, and Joseph Perez
Larry Rogers Jr. and Jonathan M. Thomas secured a $10 million settlement in February 2020 on behalf of a client who was permanently paralyzed from the waist down after he was shot in the back during a pursuit by four officers from the Chicago Police Department.
Our client, Tarance Etheredge, had been walking to work on December 17, 2012 when he was initially stopped by two men in an unknown, unmarked vehicle, who he later discovered were police officers. Prior to the settlement, officers involved in the encounter claimed our client had pointed a firearm at an officer, and received awards from the City of Chicago for their heroic efforts.
An investigation later revealed that while our client did have a firearm on his person at the time of the incident, no fingerprints were found on the gun, and no bullet was chambered.
Bettie Jones Police Shooting, Wrongful Death
In June 2018, Larry Rogers Jr. and Jonathan Thomas negotiated a $16 million settlement with the City of Chicago over the police shooting death of Bettie Jones.
Jones was shot and killed by a Chicago Police Officer in December 2015 after officers were called to the home of Antonio LeGrier to investigate a domestic incident between LeGrier and his son, Quintonio LeGrier. When Jones opened the door for Officer Robert Rialmo, Rialmo claimed Quintonio charged him with a metal baseball bat. Officer Rialmo opened fire, killing both Quintonio and Jones.
According to the Chicago Sun-Times, the $16 million settlement was one of, if not the largest settlement agreements paid by the city to a single person in the history of the City of Chicago.
Mayhorn v. City of Chicago
Larry Rogers Jr. obtained a $1.5 million verdict in May 2015 after a Cook County jury found the fatal 2009 police shooting of Matthias Mayhorn by Chicago PD unjustified.
During the Mayhorn case, Mr. Rogers successfully presented forensic evidence that Mayhorn was not shot at a short distance in the location police claimed, and was most likely shot in a location where he did not pose a threat of serious injury or death to police or others, and from a distance.
Mr. Rogers further alleged the lack of fingerprints and other evidence connecting a weapon found at the scene to Mayhorn fit the profile for the weapon being a “drop gun” that was dropped at the scene to explain the unjustified shooting.
Barmore v. City of Rockford
Larry Rogers Jr. reached a $1.1 million settlement with the City of Rockford on behalf of the estate of Mark Barmore, who was shot to death by Rockford Police officers in August 2009. Officers claimed Barmore, who was unarmed at the time, was being investigated for an alleged assault, and that he grabbed an officer’s gun, which lead to the fatal shot. An eyewitness testified that Barmore was shot multiple times as he tried to surrender.
Barmore’s case garnered significant media attention in the wake of controversial cases involving Michael Brown and Eric Garner, particularly because the Winnebago County Grand Jury in Mr. Barmore’s case found the use of deadly force to be justified, and did not indict the two officers involved.
As partner Larry Rogers Jr. told reporters:
“This is a tragic case; one that’s become all too familiar to the public. Fortunately, where the criminal court system failed, the civil courts were able to hold the city of Rockford and its officers accountable for their unjustified and excessive use of force.”
Freeman v. City of Chicago
Larry Rogers Jr. secured a $2.118 million verdict against the City of Chicago for the Estate of 78-year-old Tommye Ruth Freeman, who was killed in July 2008 after her vehicle was struck by a white SUV being pursued by Chicago PD in connection to an alleged nonviolent home burglary.
Over a two-week trial in June 2015, Mr. Rogers successfully argued that the officers were willful and wanton in their pursuit of the suspect vehicle, traveling at a high rate of speed on a way-way street, against traffic, and running stop signs in a residential area, all in violation of their General Orders.
Other Police Misconduct Cases
In addition to these and other cases, partner Larry Rogers Jr. has worked on many significant police misconduct lawsuits, and is actively working on several pending cases. These include:
- Larry Rogers Jr. currently represents Jerime Mitchell, an unarmed black man who was permanently paralyzed when he was shot by Police Officer Lucas Jones during a traffic stop in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, in November 2016. Mr. Rogers filed a lawsuit on behalf of Mitchell against the City of Cedar Rapids and Officer Jones, who returned to duty in June 2017 (Jerime Mitchell v. City of Cedar Rapids).
- Larry Rogers Jr. represents the family of Trevon Johnson, a 17-year-old shot to death by a DuPage County Sheriff’s Deputy in January 2017. The shooting occurred near Villa Park when the deputy responding to a domestic incident and became involved in a fight with the teen. The DuPage County coroner’s office reported that Johnson died of multiple gunshot wounds (Trevon Johnson v. DuPage County Sheriff’s Office).
- In 2015, Mr. Rogers was retained as Co-Counsel by the family of Sandra Bland in a wrongful death lawsuit against the Texas Department of Safety, Waller County, DPS Trooper Brian Encinia, and others alleged to have been responsible for Bland’s death in custody at the Waller County Jail. The family later agreed to a $1.9 million settlement.
Call To Speak With A Chicago Police Misconduct Attorney: 312-210-8411
If you or someone you love have suffered as a result of police misconduct, working with the right attorney can make all the difference in your fight for justice. At Power Rogers, LLP, we’re committed to helping clients fight for accountability, and we have the experience and resources required of these complex, high-stakes claims.
Call or contact us online to speak personally with an attorney. Our firm offers FREE and confidential consultations and handles civil rights cases on a contingency fee basis, meaning there is no cost to hiring our firm, and no fee unless a recovery is made.
