In a recent federal court filing, Jovan Streeter and Marquita Beecham have lodged a complaint against several Chicago police officers and the City of Chicago. The lawsuit, filed on May 20, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division, accuses Officers Richard Rodriguez Jr., Kenneth Sunde, an unnamed Officer John Doe, and the City of Chicago of multiple civil rights violations.
The plaintiffs allege that their constitutional rights were violated during two separate encounters with the defendants. The first incident occurred on May 22, 2023, when Streeter was arrested outside Shaw’s Crab House in Chicago. According to the complaint, while dining at the restaurant, Streeter was called outside by a valet and subsequently detained by Officers Rodriguez and Sunde. The officers accused him of displaying false registration on his vehicle. Despite Streeter's immediate explanation that he had just retrieved his car from a body shop and possessed valid registration plates, Officer Rodriguez allegedly forcefully banged Streeter’s head into his vehicle multiple times. Plaintiff Beecham attempted to clarify the situation by contacting the body shop but was ignored by the officers.
Despite finding valid registration plates in Streeter’s vehicle corroborating his story, Officers Rodriguez and Sunde arrested him for displaying false registration. Streeter spent a night in police custody before being released. The misdemeanor charge was later dismissed on July 27, 2023.
The second encounter took place on August 16, 2023. While driving in Chicago's Gold Coast neighborhood, Plaintiffs encountered Officers Rodriguez and Doe again. Recognizing Streeter from the previous incident, Officer Rodriguez followed them and initiated a traffic stop without any lawful basis. Both plaintiffs were ordered out of their vehicle; Streeter was handcuffed despite committing no crime or traffic infraction.
During this encounter, Defendant Rodriguez seized Beecham’s legally owned firearm and threatened to "dump" on them—a slang term implying he would shoot them—while pointing the firearm in their direction. Following abusive behavior from Rodriguez and Doe, including threats to impound their vehicle without cause, Plaintiffs were eventually released without receiving any citations.
Following these incidents, Plaintiffs filed complaints with the Chicago Police Department's Bureau of Internal Affairs (BIA). Their allegations against Officer Rodriguez were sustained by BIA investigators who suspended him for three days.
The lawsuit includes claims under 42 U.S.C §1983 for false arrest and unlawful pre-trial detention related to the May incident; excessive force; illegal seizure; illegal search; malicious prosecution under both federal law and Illinois state law; false imprisonment; battery; assault; intentional infliction of emotional distress; as well as claims under respondeat superior and indemnification principles against the City of Chicago.
Plaintiffs seek compensatory damages for personal injuries including emotional distress, mental anguish, humiliation, degradation, loss of liberty as well as punitive damages against individual officers involved in these incidents.
Representing Plaintiffs are attorneys Ian M. Barney from Barney & Hourihane LLP based in Evanston IL., along with Jordan Marsh from Law Office of Jordan Marsh LLC located in Northbrook IL. The case is presided over by Judge [Name], identified under Case ID No: 24-cv-4158.