Independent Police Review Authority sued by Black Lives Matter

Maybe it’s time to hold IPRA Accountable

By Ken Hare

Chicago Defender Staff Writer

Martinez Sutton

On April 21, 2015, Judge Anthony Porter acquitted Chicago Police Officer Dante Servin of involuntary manslaughter charges in the March 2012 killing of Rekia Boyd – a Black woman. Rekia Boyd’s brother Martinez Sutton joined Black Lives Matter in a press conference announcing that they have filed suit against the Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA). 

Rekia Boyd was walking with three friends near a west side park when confronted by Dante Servin who was off duty at the time. The Cook County States Attorney office brought charges of manslaughter arguing that Servin recklessly fired at a group of people hitting Rekia Boyd in the back of the head as she was walking away. Judge Porter disagreed stating in a seven-page controversial decision, that prosecutors failed to prove that Servin acted recklessly, saying that Illinois courts have consistently held that when an individual points a gun at an intended victim and shoots, even when a crowd is present, it is an intentional act, not a reckless one.

The acquittal quickly stirred outrage due to its highly technical nature which some legal experts said Anita Alvarez should have known about. Charges of murder should have been levied instead of involuntary manslaughter according to some. 

 “Its been under investigation for four years. I want to see what’s going on. What are you all investigating,” her brother said at the press conference?  “Why is it taking four years?”

For more insight into the lengthy investigation, please check out the groundbreaking, three-part series on the Chicago Fraternal Order of Police contract: 

Part 1 

https://chicagodefender.com/2016/01/07/fraternal-order-of-police/

Part 2

https://chicagodefender.com/2016/01/13/the-fight-to-save-police-misconduct-records/

Part 3

https://chicagodefender.com/2016/01/20/fop-contract-arbitrator-says-destroy-all-records/

About Post Author

Comments

From the Web

Skip to content
Verified by MonsterInsights