A man is suing the city, a police officer and a police supervisor after an officer destroyed his dashboard camera then grabbed and tried to crush his testicles with his bare hands, according to the suit filed in federal court Monday. The actions of the police, which the man contends were unprovoked and unjust, were all done in front of his wife and two kids outside their Brighton Park home.
The suit was filed by Juan Mexicano and names an unknown officer, unknown police supervisor and the City of Chicago as defendants.
About 11:45 p.m. on Oct. 6, 2013, Mexicano, his wife and two children were in his vehicle outside their home in the 4300 block of South Fairfield. Several squad cars then pulled in front of and behind Mexicano’s vehicle, blocking him in, according to the suit.
One officer walked to the driver’s side window and noticed that Mexicano had a dashboard camera and ordered him to turn it off. Mexicano complied, and the officer then reached in the vehicle, grabbed the camera and destroyed it, all without Mexicano’s consent, the suit stated.
Police then searched Mexicano, removing items from his pockets, including his cell phone. At that point, Mexicano told his wife to call 911. After he told his wife to call, the unknown police officer reached between Mexicano’s legs, “grabbed his testicles, and attempted to crush them with his hand,” the suit stated.
“While he did this, Defendant Unknown City of Chicago Police Officer stated that the Plaintiff should ‘shut the f— up,’” the suit stated.
Throughout the search, Mexicano reiterated that he did not consent, the suit stated.
Another officer, who was not named as a defendant, then took Mexicano’s wife’s cell phone. After handcuffing Mexicano, the unknown police supervisor threatened to charge him with domestic abuse, driving while intoxicated, drug possession, the suit stated. The police supervisor also threatened to have Mexicano deported and mace him while he was handcuffed.
According to the suit, the officers and supervisor then removed Mexicano’s handcuffs and drove off.
A spokesman for the city did not respond to a request for comment Monday evening.
The seven-count suit alleges excessive and unnecessary force, unreasonable search and seizure, battery, assault, false arrest and indemnification. It seeks and undisclosed amount in damages.
