As if killing a black teen isn’t bad enough, Chicago city attorneys are reportedly filing a lawsuit against Quintonio LeGrier’s family. LeGrier died at 19 years old in 2015 in the hands of the Chicago Police Department. He was shot to death by an officer for allegedly being responsible for the death of another bystander on the scene that the cop killed as well.
The city is blaming LeGrier for the death of Bettie Jones, accusing him of “negligent acts and/or omissions,” reports The Chicago Tribune. Additionally, those include not following police orders, failing to take his prescribed medications for his mental illness, and swinging a baseball bat at police.
According to The Root, this isn’t the first lawsuit filed against Quintonio’s family following the fatal incident. Robert Rialmo, the officer responsible for killing LeGrier, filed suits against the Chicago Police Department and the boy’s family’s estate. Rialmo claims the police department did not train him properly, and that LeGrier was responsible for the fatal shooting, and says he is suffering from emotional trauma.
Reportedly, both the families of Jones and LeGrier have filed suits against the city for the deaths of their respective family members. Both victims died early Christmas morning in 2015, when the boy’s dad called 911 reporting his son was threatening him with a bat. Jones lived downstairs from the LeGriers. However, reports state that LeGrier initially called 911 three times before his father called. He was a student at Northern Illinois University, and was said to have mental health issues.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability, which researches shootings that occur from the CPD, has yet to determine whether or nor LeGrier’s shooting was justified under CPD’s policy. Further details for this story are still pending.
Update: At press time, The Tribune reported that the lawyers have back tracked on their suit. Reporter Dan Hinkel writes:
“The story sparked outrage on social media after the Chicago Tribune first revealed the proposed lawsuit Thursday evening. On Friday morning, Bill McCaffrey, spokesman for the city’s Law Department, emailed a statement announcing the city would drop the effort.
“We are constantly evaluating and reevaluating our legal strategies, and we have determined the motion is not the best course of action,” the statement said.”