Chicago Police Brutality Lawyer

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Chicago Police Brutality Lawyer

Being a victim of police brutality can be a scary and traumatic event. The police are supposed to protect you from harm and keep you safe from others that would harm you. Police officers are responsible for protecting your life, property and the lives of your loved ones. Thus, when police officers breach this trust, it can cause severe psychological shattering harm.

While it seems wrong for you to be harmed by those who have sworn to protect and serve you, it is an unfortunate reality of the times we live in. Too many people have suffered unjustified violence, brutality and even death at the hands of police officers. Unfortunately, a great percentage of this goes unreported and those responsible are not often held accountable.

While police brutality has been around in the United States for a very long time, it has become more visible in recent times. In 2019, 1004 people were shot and killed by the police.

These statistics only cover those that were killed and not those who suffered one injury or the other from their encounters with police brutality. As of August 11, 2020, up to 586 people have been shot and killed by the police. These numbers show how easily some protectors can become predators.

The effects of these actions do not end with the victims as their families also suffer along with them. The families of George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, Elijah McClain and others unnamed have been irreparably affected by acts that could have been avoided.

The United States has laws that prohibit police officers from the use of excessive or unjustified force. It is illegal for any police officer to threaten you, apply physical force to you or cause you injury in circumstances not allowed by law.

If you or your loved one has suffered a form of brutality at the hands of the police, our experienced and competent Chicago police brutality lawyers at Uche P.C. can help you.

We understand how traumatizing it can be to suffer brutality at the hands of the police. We will fight for justice on your behalf and help you secure compensation with an aggressive passion born out of that understanding.

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What is police brutality?

Police brutality is the unwarranted or excessive and often illegal use of force against civilians by police officers. The key terms are excessive and illegal.

The law allows police officers a measure of immunity when carrying out their duties. This includes the use of an appropriate amount of force if the situation calls for it. They are allowed to use only the force necessary to contain a situation.

If however, they go beyond the dictates of the law in the discharge of such duties, they will be held liable. If they do so willfully, negligently or in an unreasonable manner, they will be held liable.

The United States constitution, in conjunction with other laws, has established the procedures which the police are to follow. Deviating from any of the established procedures is deemed misconduct.

Of the various ways police officers can be guilty of misconduct, police brutality is one of the most common and dangerous.

Common forms of police brutality and misconduct include:

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Arrest on unreasonable grounds

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Imprisonment on false pretenses

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Intimidation and verbal abuse

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Wrongful death from shootings and car accidents

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Unreasonable search and seizure

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Sexual abuse or abuse of any kind while in police custody

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Physical assault such as the illegal use of chokeholds, indiscriminate use of batons on suspects, indiscriminate use of tasers on suspects etc.

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Unreasonable take-downs

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Denying access to medical care while in police custody

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Cruel punishment or torture

The law on police brutality in the United States

The modern concept of policing was popularised in 1829 by Robert Peel, the founder of modern policing and comprises nine principles. These nine principles form the root of the primary objective of police agencies and stand against police brutality. Of these nine, principle numbers 2 and 6 show this stand most clearly.

To recognize always that the power of the police to fulfill their functions and duties is dependent on public approval of their existence, actions and behavior, and on their ability to secure and maintain public respect. To use physical force only when the exercise of persuasion, advice and warning is found to be insufficient to obtain public cooperation to an extent necessary to secure observance of the law or to restore order, and to use only the minimum degree of physical force which is necessary on any particular occasion for achieving police objectives

These principles represent the primary standards of conduct that the police owe residents in the communities they serve. The laws of the United States provide that human rights are sacred and must be respected by all, including the police.

The United States Constitution makes things clearer and the provisions can be found under the fourth, fifth, eighth and fourteenth amendments.

Under The Fourth Amendment, you are guaranteed your right to be safe from unreasonable search and seizures. This right covers your home, cars, documents and personal effects.

Generally, before a police officer can carry out a search and seizure on you or your belongings, a warrant must be lawfully issued and shown to you. This is referred to as your right to privacy.

Under The Fifth Amendment, you are entitled to due process under the law and have the right against self-incrimination. This means that you are entitled to keep your silence when you are pulled over or stopped at a checkpoint or during police interrogation. These rights also extend to when police officers arrest suspects. They must inform the suspects of their rights. These are known as your “Miranda rights” or the right to remain silent.

When you exercise your Fifth Amendment rights, you cannot be coerced into confessing to a crime. If you are forced into doing so, an experienced and competent Chicago police brutality lawyer can help you enforce your rights.

The Eighth Amendment protects you from paying excessive bail or fines if you are arrested and also protects you from cruel and unusual punishments while in law enforcement custody and in prison.

Under this amendment, you are protected from paying excessive amounts either for pretrial release or as punishment for a crime after conviction. You are also protected from all forms of police brutality including physical abuse, sexual abuse, harassment and being denied medical care.

Under The Fourteenth Amendment, you are protected against the denial of life, liberty or property without due process of law. It complements the Fifth Amendment and ensures that the police do not assume the power of executioner over you. They also cannot apply lethal force in unjustifiable circumstances.

What do I do if I fall victim to police brutality?

In recent times, lots of attention have been drawn to the brutal acts of police officers by advocacy groups. This includes clamoring for demilitarisation of the police, advocating against sexual abuse and racial profiling, and calling for justice for victims.

While all these are laudable and offer hope of an end to the ugliness of police brutality, they are unfortunately not victim-specific. This means that while they may succeed in getting the reforms put in place, they cannot fight for the justice of individual victims and every victim deserves justice.

This is why you are better served getting the services of a Chicago police brutality lawyer. With this, you are assured of holding the culpable party accountable and getting justice for yourself. Our expert police brutality lawyers will fight for your justice and get you the compensation you deserve.

We are aware that no amount of compensation can make up for or undo the suffering you have had to endure. However, experience has taught us that getting justice for the victims of police brutality or the families of victims who lost their lives provides them with some form of closure.

Aside from the compensation you get from the government for your suffering, you also get to see that the culprits are held liable and punished for their actions. By filing criminal charges against them and also filing a civil lawsuit on your behalf, our Chicago police brutality lawyers can help you make this possible.

As former prosecutors, we have the forensic ability to navigate through the usual cover-ups that usually come with police brutality cases. Additionally, in police brutality and malicious prosecution cases, we target all forms of recovery from punitive damages if applicable, wrongful death damages if applicable, compensatory damages, emotional distress, pain and suffering and payment or refund for payment of medical bills amongst others.

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Steps to take if you are subjected to police brutality

Remain clear-headed:

This may sound counter-intuitive and near impossible, but it is absolutely vital that you do not panic and lose your cool. Do not engage the police any further and make sure that you keep your hands visible. Remembering to do all this requires that you keep a clear head.

Preserve evidence:

This could be anything from pieces of torn clothing, pictures of injuries sustained, audio recordings or video footage taken by bystanders. Having these helps build a stronger case for you.

Get medical help:

Injuries from police brutality can be physical, psychological or both. This is why it is important to seek medical help. Visit the nearest medical centre for your physical injuries and also consider getting therapeutic help in dealing with the psychological injuries. This has a two-pronged effect of providing you with the help you need and providing more evidence for your civil lawsuit. Your sessions with these health professionals will be documented, thus giving more weight to your case.

Hire a competent and experienced Chicago police brutality lawyer:

The physical and psychological trauma of police brutality is only an aspect of what victims have to deal with. Due to the complexity of the legal rules involved in ascertaining police brutality, the cases are usually very complicated. However, with our expert police brutality attorneys in your corner, you will have an accurate understanding of your case and what to expect.

Let an experienced Chicago police brutality lawyer help you.

Police brutality is a very traumatic event. We understand the pain, and feelings of betrayal and helplessness that can encounter these events. You should never have to suffer unjustified harm at the hands of those who are sworn to keep you safe from harm. It is illegal and should not go unpunished.

We understand that no amount of compensation can change what happened to you or bring back your dead loved one. However, we also understand the closure you get when the person responsible for your pain is held accountable.

At Uche P.C., we fight aggressively to recover justice and fair compensation on behalf of our clients. We prosecute cases from the lowest courts in Illinois, up to the Supreme Court and when we face juries from all walks of life, our goal is simple: to persuade them.

We know how to negotiate on behalf of our clients, with our client’s interest always taking center stage. We try cases in Illinois, with emphasis on Cook County and Chicago. Though, upon request, we are willing to go out of state. We do it for our clients; but, ultimately, we do it for justice.

We have provided justice for our clients and also returned jury awards in the multi-million-dollar range.

And, we will not charge you a dime when we take on your case unless we win. Reach out to us through our contact page or call our offices on 312-380-5341 to schedule a free and confidential consultation today.

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Practice Areas

Beyond focusing on nursing home abuse cases, our firm also focuses on other forms of personal injury such as:

Car Accident -

Truck Accidents -

Birth Injury -

Police Brutality -

Personal Injury -

Medical Malpractice -

Wrongful Convictions -

Call us immediately at: (312) 380.5341, if you or your loved one has suffered any injury as a result of a motor accident!

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Nenye E. Uche

President, Uche P.C.

A former prosecutor, Attorney Uche is a nationally recognized trial lawyer who provides high-powered representation to victims of personal injury at no cost unless he wins.