News | Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd

Harvey Settles Lawsuits Over Failure to Test Rape Kits

August 21, 2015/in Media, News/by Yao Dinizulu

HARVEY, Ill. — A Chicago suburb whose police department mishandled years of rape investigations has settled lawsuits seeking damages for the shortcomings.

Seven women filed lawsuits in federal court against Harvey’s police department and former chief Andrew Joshua, alleging the failure to submit rape kits for testing violated their constitutional rights to due process and equal protection.

In one case, an alleged lapse by Harvey police allowed a Cook County correctional officer continue to molest his stepdaughter for years. Harvey agreed to pay $1.2 million to that victim. A second case, involving two women, was settled for $241,250. The figures for a third case weren’t released.

Harvey spokesman Sean Howard said in a statement Tuesday the suburb was hopeful the settlements will bring “some closure and comfort” to the victims.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

Victims, statistics show serious deficiencies in Harvey police work

February 7, 2014/in News/by Yao Dinizulu

On an oil-stained blacktop beside a Harvey convenience store, someone shot and killed 20-year-old trade student Tommy Lee in his car. Five years later, his parents still have the sedan, two bullet holes rusting in the hood and fender. They also have file folders documenting years of letdown in their pursuit of Tommy’s killer. Sitting around the kitchen table in a suburban split-level, they say Harvey police lied to them, yelled at them and made them feel like a bother. A state police agent who reviewed the case told the Tribune that Harvey’s handling of the investigation was a “travesty.”

SPECIAL REPORT: Rule 14: How Police Lies Change Lives

December 7, 2013/in News/by Yao Dinizulu

Kentrell Reese grew up in Roseland. He was an honor student at Gillespie Elementary.

“Chicke” — that’s what his mom called him — played basketball, ran track and had a knack for cutting hair. Ever since he was a kid, he wanted to open his own barbershop.

Chicago Police Officer Michael Pettis is a South Side guy, too. He graduated from Leo Catholic High School, Class of 1987.

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1 dead, 3 injured in crash on the Dan Ryan

November 7, 2013/in News/by Yao Dinizulu

One person was killed and three others were injured in a crash near 85th Street on the Dan Ryan Expressway as at least four other accidents slowed South Side traffic during the morning commute, authorities said. One of the injured was a child, who was taken to Comer Children’s Hospital. Three adults were taken in serious-to-critical condition to Northwestern Memorial Hospital, according to authorities. The Cook County medical examiner’s office said one of the injured later died but had no other information. The accident happened about 5 a.m. Other crashes were reported in the inbound lanes at 43rd Street, 47th Street, 63rd Street and on Interstate 57 at Wentworth Avenue. One person was injured in the 43rd Street crash, and the driver of a semi that caught fire on I-57 suffered non-life-threatening injuries.

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