In the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, plaintiff Gregory L. Stewart has filed a lawsuit against defendants Samantha C. Surma, Matthew J. Wagner, and The City of Chicago. The case, identified as 24-cv-3683, was filed on May 6, 2024.
Represented by Ed Fox & Associates, Ltd., Stewart alleges that on May 11, 2023, he was unlawfully stopped and searched by Surma and Wagner, who were serving as police officers in the Chicago Police Department at the time. He claims there was no legal cause for these actions which included being handcuffed and transported to the police station without any contraband found on his person.
Stewart further alleges that he was falsely charged with violations of the law due to fabricated facts relayed by the defendant officers to the assistant state’s attorney. He was released from custody on December 11, 2023 after his motion to suppress was granted by the state court.
The plaintiff is seeking judgment for significant injuries suffered as a direct result of these actions including loss of liberty, invasion of privacy, humiliation and indignities along with mental and emotional pain. He also demands exemplary and punitive damages for what he describes as willful, wanton, malicious acts done with reckless indifference for his rights. Additionally, Stewart is seeking payment for attorneys’ fees under 42 U.S.C. Section 1988 or any other provision set by law.