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Former Detainee Says He Was Beaten By North Chicago Police Officer

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Paul Smith says a North Chicago police officer used excessive force on him. (CBS)

Paul Smith says a North Chicago police officer used excessive force on him. (CBS)

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NORTH CHICAGO, Ill. (CBS) – The detainee who is seen being roughly treated by a North Chicago police officer in widely circulated surveillance video is speaking out for the first time.

Whenever Paul Smith sees the video, he says he asks himself, “Why would they do this to you? Why are they so abusive? They’re supposed to protect and serve, not beat people up.”

Smith says he didn’t deserve the beating he got at the hands of a North Chicago police officer.

“He grabbed me by the neck, choked me, threw me up against the wall, and ever since then I’ve had headaches,” he told reporters Monday before speaking in front of North Chicago’s elected leaders.

The booking-room encounter was caught on tape in July 2010. A report says Smith was verbally confrontational. Smith says even if he was he didn’t deserve what he got.

An attorney for North Chicago tells CBS 2 News they’re taking a closer look at the case because of other incidents, such as the one involving Darrin Hanna.

Hanna’s mother, Gloria Carr, says officers responding to a domestic dispute, used a stun gun on her unarmed son and beat him. He later died.

Smith says he was initially afraid to talk but was inspired to come forward because of Hanna’s story.

“They need to stop it,” says Smith, who plans a lawsuit against the city of North Chicago.

Carr has already filed suit. Both she and Smith say they want someone to hold officers accountable for what they and their attorney call excessive use of force.

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  • Afro

    What the hell does this POS want milk and cookies? He’s a criminal running his mouth and just a drunk POS. Got what he deserved!

    • Anglo-Saxon

      Agreed!

  • xedge

    criminals in chicago need some kind of punishment most of the time they get very light sentences from the courts

    • Afro

      Hell Alvarez don’t even prosecute the criminals, she needs to be fired!

  • Respect_the_badge

    Shouldn’t resist arrest. Sad thing is they are going to get a fat check just for being a criminal.

  • juju

    Oh oh, looks like the lazy are hitting the board already.

    • Anglo-Saxon

      Speak for yourself negress! Up all night smoking those rocks again, huh juju?

  • Respect_the_badge

    Lazy? I’m on third shift, this is my day time.

  • gabriel

    i too been chocked, and assauted with his service pistal by a police officer feb 2 of 2011 . and right now not shure if i will beat the law suit .but i want to make this well known with the public.chicago is not right

  • http://travel2chicago.us/chicago-news-stories-forfeb-07-2012/ Chicago News Stories for Feb 07 2012 : Travel tips, hotels, restaurants, jobs and news | Travel 2 Chicago

    [...] Chicago sports arena uncovers problems with food temperatures. 2 Investigator Pam Zekman reports. Former Detainee Says He Was Beaten By North Chicago Police OfficerPaul Smith, the man who is seen being roughly treated by a North Chicago police officer in [...]

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