Civil Rights Liability

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7^th Circuit Court of Appeals

Case Name:  Stacey Liberty v. City of Chicago, Eric Jehl, et al.

Case No.: 15-3444

Officials: WOOD, Chief Judge, and BAUER and ROVNER, Circuit

Judges.

Focus: Civil Rights Liability

On June 15, 2013, Antwoyne Johnson was an occupant of a vehicle whose driver was searching for parking on South Springfield Avenue in Chicago, Illinois, at approximately 2:45 a.m. A Chicago police car pulled behind the vehicle and turned on its lights. Johnson left the vehicle and ran into a nearby alley. The police officers drove into the alley in pursuit of Johnson and fired a number of times, hitting Johnson in the back and hand. Johnson died of his injuries. On March 23, 2015, plaintiff‐appellant Stacey Liberty, Johnson’s mother, filed a complaint under 42 U.S.C. § 1983, naming the City of Chicago and unknown Chicago police officers. Liberty’s complaint raised claims of false arrest, excessive force, deliberate indifference, unlawful seizure, and violation of due process. She also argued that the City adopted policies that permit police to use excessive force, and that the City failed to properly train and supervise the unknown officers.

Before concluding, we briefly address Liberty’s final contention that her claims against the additional unknown officers and the City should be reinstated. The City contends that Liberty has waived these arguments because she failed to raise them before the district court. We agree.

Affirmed

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Attorney Derek A. Hawkins is the managing partner at Hawkins Law Offices LLC, where he heads up the firm’s startup law practice. He specializes in business formation, corporate governance, intellectual property protection, private equity and venture capital funding and mergers & acquisitions. Check out the website at www.hawkins-lawoffices.com or contact them at 262-737-8825.