**Complaint Filed Against City of Naperville and Officers for Alleged Civil Rights Violations**
On May 21, 2024, Amara Harris filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against the City of Naperville, Officer Juan Leon, and Sergeant Jonathan W. Pope. The case, identified as 1:24-CV-04196, alleges multiple civil rights violations under 42 U.S.C. § 1983 and related state laws.
The complaint stems from an incident on December 4, 2019, when Officer Juan Leon charged Harris with theft under a Naperville ordinance, accusing her of stealing another student's AirPods. Despite a lack of evidence supporting the theft claim, the City of Naperville refused to dismiss the charges and pressured Harris to pay the ticket. During a trial in DuPage County Circuit Court, Officer Leon admitted under oath that he issued the citation without proof and was motivated by anger towards Harris's mother for not cooperating with him.
The lawsuit details how this action caused significant harm to Harris, including emotional distress and reputational damage. It further accuses Sgt. Jonathan W. Pope of failing to train and supervise school resource officers adequately, leading to a pattern of illegal ticketing at Naperville North High School. The complaint highlights that the Naperville Police Department has a history of disproportionately targeting students of color for minor infractions.
Harris's legal team argues that these actions constitute abuse of process and malicious prosecution in violation of her Fourteenth Amendment rights. They also allege an unconstitutional custom or practice within the police department regarding issuing citations without proper cause.
In addition to seeking compensatory damages exceeding $20 million, Harris requests punitive damages against individual defendants to deter future misconduct. She also seeks injunctive relief requiring improved training and oversight within the Naperville Police Department.
Representing Harris are attorneys Sheridan Todd Yeary from The Yeary Firm LLC and Juan R. Thomas from The Thomas Law Group. The case is presided over by judges from the Northern District of Illinois.