A mother from Sauk Village is seeking justice after an alleged wrongful arrest and excessive use of force by a local police officer. On June 24, 2024, Nyieshia Maclin filed a complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Officer Travon Done and the municipality of Sauk Village.
According to the court documents, on December 7, 2023, Maclin was driving to pick up her six-year-old son from school when she was stopped by Officer Done. The complaint alleges that without any lawful reason, Done physically manhandled Maclin in front of her children, resulting in her wrongful arrest. "Plaintiff's two sons, who were 6 and 9, were traumatized as the officer attacked their mother," the document states. It further details how Maclin's younger son attempted to protect his mother during the incident.
Maclin claims she was charged with resisting a police officer and a traffic violation despite there being no factual basis for either charge. Her car was impounded, and she sustained injuries that required medical treatment. The lawsuit accuses Officer Done of intentional misconduct that violated Maclin’s Fourth Amendment rights under 42 U.S.C. §1983. As a result of these actions, Maclin has suffered emotional distress, monetary loss, embarrassment, pain and suffering, and damage to her reputation.
The plaintiff is seeking compensatory damages for the physical and emotional harm endured during and after the incident. Additionally, she is asking for punitive damages to penalize Officer Done's conduct and attorneys' fees incurred due to this legal battle.
In addition to false arrest claims, Maclin also accuses Officer Done of using excessive force during the encounter. The complaint argues that "the force used against the Plaintiff was unreasonable" and led to significant emotional and physical distress for both Maclin and her children.
Furthermore, Maclin alleges malicious prosecution by asserting that Officer Done proceeded with charges he knew were baseless. These charges were eventually resolved in her favor but not before causing her financial losses including lost wages.
Lastly, an indemnification claim against Sauk Village has been included in the lawsuit. According to Illinois law, public entities are responsible for paying any tort judgment for compensatory damages caused by their employees within their scope of employment. If found liable, Sauk Village would be required to cover any awarded damages along with attorney fees.
Representing Nyieshia Maclin is Gregory E. Kulis from Gregory E. Kulis & Associates Ltd., while the case ID is: 1:24-cv-05234.