Tag Archives: wrongful death

Three Lake County Corrections Officers fired after inmate’s death

Aug 15, 2016 | WLSAM Staff

(CHICAGO) The terminations of three Lake County Corrections Officers for their involvement in an inmate’s 2012 death have been upheld.

The terminations of Corrections Officers Rodney Holmes, Robert Schlesser and Lilia Cruz were upheld by an arbitrator Aug. 4, according to a statement from the Lake County Sheriff’s Office. The demotion of Corrections Sergeant Lance Ware was also upheld.

On Oct. 31, 2011, inmate Eugene Gruber suffered a broken neck while struggling with the four officers as he was arriving at the jail, the sheriff’s office said. He died March 3, 2012.

In addition to being terminated, Holmes and Schlesser were criminally charged with official misconduct, the sheriff’s office said. Holmes was found not guilty following a bench trial, and Schlesser died before his case went to trial.

According to the sheriff’s office a complete audit was conducted and rewrite of all jail policies since the incident. No further details were provided regarding policy changes, but the changes made were accredited by the American Correctional Association and the National Commission on Correctional Health Care.

“Inmates have the right to be treated fairly and humanely while in custody at the Lake County Jail and I, as your Sheriff, will stand for nothing less,” Sheriff Curran said in the statement.

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Cop in Fatal Shooting Resigns

May 17, 2016 | WLSAM Staff
By Jennifer Keiper, WLS-AM 890 News
(CHICAGO) Rather than fight to keep his job, the off-duty officer who shot and killed Rekia Boyd in 2012, has resigned from the Chicago Police Department.
The Chicago Police Board says Dante Servin’s resignation comes days before his evidentiary hearing was set to start.
The hearing was to address various charges against the former officer.
In 2015, Servin was found not guilty of involuntary manslaughter for the death of  Boyd.
When Servin asked a group of people to keep the noise down near his Douglas Park home, words were exchanged and then Serivn shot into the group because he said he thought one of the men in the group had a gun. It turned out to be a cell phone.
The city settled a wrongful death lawsuit with Boyd’s family for $4.5 million but the city admitted no liability.
Because he served more than 20 years, Servin will be able to collect his pension when he turns 50.

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