A shocking lawsuit has been filed against a former police chief and the Village of Robbins, Illinois, alleging severe misconduct and abuse of power. James Snow, the plaintiff, submitted this complaint on January 7, 2025, in the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois against Carl Scott and other unnamed officers.
James Snow's allegations stem from two incidents in March and July 2024 involving Carl Scott, then acting police chief of Robbins Police Department. According to Snow's complaint, Scott committed battery against him in March 2024 while acting under the color of law. The situation escalated when Snow attempted to file a formal complaint at the Robbins Police Department in July 2024. Instead of receiving assistance, he was falsely arrested by Scott and unknown officers who allegedly assaulted him further. "His civil rights were violated," claims Snow in his filing. The lawsuit accuses Scott and others of turning off their body cameras during these events to conceal their actions.
Snow asserts that Carl Scott has since resigned or been terminated due to these allegations and faces criminal charges in Cook County for aggravated battery, official misconduct, and theft related to these incidents. In detailing his ordeal, Snow describes how his attempt to film a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request at a local health department led to an altercation with police after employees called 911 over his refusal to stop filming.
The narrative continues with another disturbing encounter when Snow went to file a complaint against Scott at the police department in July. Despite being told filming was prohibited by local ordinance—a claim unsupported by actual law—Snow refused to stop recording. This defiance led to further confrontations where Scott allegedly slapped Snow’s phone away and physically assaulted him while other officers stood by without intervening.
The lawsuit seeks damages exceeding $75,000 for each count from all defendants involved. It includes claims for negligence, premises liability, negligent hiring and supervision by the Village of Robbins, assault and battery by Scott and unknown officers, false imprisonment under unconstitutional pretenses, violations of First Amendment rights due to enforced policies against public recording without legal basis as well as Fourth Amendment rights through unlawful seizure.
Represented by attorney Jed Stone from Stone & Associates Ltd., James Snow is pursuing both compensatory and punitive damages alongside costs incurred throughout this legal battle. The case is presided over under Case ID: 1:25-cv-00173 with a jury trial demanded.