City of Chicago sues estate of teen killed by officer–and then drops lawsuit

The city claims LeGrier caused the death of 55-year-old Bettie Jones

Dec 15, 2017

The city of Chicago has filed suit against the estate of Quintonio LeGrier, who was killed by a police officer–only to later drop it.

Back in 2015, Chicago Police Officer Robert Rialmo shot and killed the 19-year-old LeGrier and in the process also shot and killed 55-year-old Bettie Jones. Rialmo had opened fire on LeGrier when the young man reportedly charged toward him with a baseball bat.

According to Rialmo, as LeGrier rushed down the staircase toward him, Rialmo fired, striking not only LeGrier but Jones. The older neighbor had been standing behind LeGrier at the time the shots were fired.

The city made the case that LeGrier caused Jones’ death, but on Friday, Mayor Rahm Emanuel said the legal path would have been “callous.”

A change of heart

Twenty hours after a lawyer for the city filed a motion on Thursday, Dec. 14, seeking a judge’s permission to sue the teen’s estate, the city’s legal team decided to drop the suit.

The lawsuit would have dramatically changed the city’s financial liability for the death of an innocent woman, and transferred responsibility on LeGrier’s estate.

Mayor Emanuel said he called LeGrier’s father to apologize. He said the father was “incredibly gracious and understanding.”

The mayor said the Law Department “acknowledged they were wrong immediately this morning and changed their position.”

“For a family, specifically, that has been through so much to have actually made this decision that the Law Department made, they should know that a family that has gone through so much, this was mistake and never should have been done in the first place,” Emanuel said. “The good news is they acknowledged it very quickly.”

Emanuel said he had “no knowledge” the suit was ever filed.

‘Surprise and Disgust’

The family’s attorney, Bill Foutris, blasted the city’s decision to come after LeGrier’s estate.

Foutris called the move outrageous, saying that he reacted in “surprise and disgust” when the suit came in.

“Rather than the officer and his team acknowledging his responsibility, they sue the family of the man he killed,” Foutris said. “It’s a waste of money for the city. I just wonder if this is the new normal for the city.”

The suit was filed on Thursday, and Foutris said he would object Friday on the grounds that the city’s suit is inappropriate.

He also said that he does not believe the city should be allowed to sue the grieving family in the first place.

He is expected to make his case in court at 11:00 a.m. on Friday.