Rogers Park woman files federal lawsuit against cops
Posted by loyolastudentdispatch on May 26, 2011
- Paul Clavijo and Juan Vasquez
A Rogers Park woman allegedly assaulted by two Chicago Police officers has filed a federal lawsuit claiming assault and battery, and failure on the part of the Chicago Police Department to intervene. The suit seeks a jury trial, damages and attorney’s fees.
Here is the story from the Chicago Sun-Times story:
A woman allegedly sexually assaulted by two Chicago Police officers who drove her home in a police SUV in March filed a federal lawsuit against the officers Wednesday.
The woman, identified only as Jane Doe, filed the suit in U.S. District Court against the City of Chicago and officers Paul Clavijo and Juan Vasquez.
Clavijo and Vasquez were charged earlier this month with criminal sexual assault and official misconduct.
Prosecutors allege the two cops picked the 22-year-old woman up near Wrigley Field at 2 a.m. on March 30. She was crying and upset after leaving a friend’s home, where they had been drinking and arguing.
According to the lawsuit, the woman saw Clavijo and Vasquez inside the marked Chicago Police SUV, which was parked near the Addison Red Line station at Addison and Sheffield. The two officers gestured to her with their hands, indicating that they wanted her to approach, the suit said.
The officers offered to give her a ride home. Assuming that it would be safe to accept a ride home from a Chicago Police officer, she agreed, the suit said. In her suit, the woman said the officers told her she was not allowed to sit in the back seat. Instead, she would have to sit on Clavijo’s lap, she alleged.
They then drove to a store where Vasquez parked and went inside to purchase alcohol. While he was in the store, Clavijo sexually assaulted the woman in the SUV, prosecutors allege.
The officers then drove to her apartment in Rogers Park, where they drank alcohol with her, played strip poker with her, removed their clothing and sexually assaulted her, prosecutors said.
The victim, who was extremely intoxicated, began to scream and pound on her apartment walls and her neighbors’ doors seeking help. Police said the victim told police she felt intimidated by the officers and was afraid to say no to their advances.
Prosecutors said after she ran away screaming for help, witnesses saw a man running naked down the hallway and responding officers recovered the cell phone and part of Vasquez’ uniform in her apartment.
The 10-count suit claims assault and battery, failure to intervene and conspiracy. The suit seeks a jury trial, damages and attorney’s fees.
Jennifer Hoyle, a spokeswoman for the city’s legal department, said she had not seen the lawsuit and was unable to comment.
