A federal lawsuit was filed late Tuesday against Cmdr. Glenn Evans of the Chicago Police Department for an incident last year in which Evans allegedly stuck a gun in the mouth of suspect, held a taser to his groin and threatened to kill him.
According to the Chicago Tribune, Rickey Williams, 24, claimed he was at a bus stop when Evans, who has been praised by police Superintendent Garry McCarthy for his law enforcement excellence, rolled up in his police car and simply sat there for several minutes. Williams said Evansâ presence made him uncomfortable, so he ran off.
At that point, according to Williams, Evans and about 10 other officers chased him down and cornered him in an abandoned house, before the physical intimidation and abuse began. Williams said the officers were asking where he âput the guns,â but no firearms were found in his possession.
âThey took the gun, put it to my throat, put it down my throat,â said Williams in a prerecorded statement.
Williamsâ lawyer, Antonio Romanucci, calls the alleged acts âabsolutely shockingâ and scoffed at McCarthyâs lack of handling the situation appropriately.
In a press conference yesterday, Romanucci read a statement by Williams, who was paroled last month on unrelated charges and not allowed to talk to reporters at the time.
âNo words could ever describe how afraid I was when the gun was pushed in my mouth when I knew I didnât do anything wrong,â the statement said. âI hope this lawsuit stops other police officers from doing what happened to me ever again. It took a lot of courage for me to do this, and I hope the Chicago Police Department shows its courage and changes the way it treats innocent people.â
Williamsâ mother echoed her sonâs concerns, adding, âWhat happened to my son should never happen to any human being,â she said. âThis is something that the Chicago Police Department, or any police department across America, should never get away with. Itâs done every day in America to people. And itâs not right. And it has to stop.â
Williams is seeking a minimum of $100,000 in damages.