Sep 8, 2008 8:12 pm US/Central
Suit: Fabricated Confession Put Teen Behind Bars
CHICAGO (STNG) ―
A man wrongfully accused of molesting two girls in 2001 is suing several Chicago Police officers for allegedly fabricating a confession, which kept him incarcerated for four years.
The man was a 15-year-old student at the time he was picked up by police, interrogated for 48 hours and allegedly deceived by a polygraph examiner who claimed he confessed to the molestation, the suit claims.
The man, who couldn't speak or write English, was incarcerated until the real molester was identified and charges against him were dropped.
Dany Lanza accused several officers Monday in a federal lawsuit of taking part in concocting a false confession: Officers Robert Bartik, L. Riggio, M. Gonzalez, J. Acosta, B. Okraskinski, F. Herrera, F. Skoroek, M. Soferernnovic and other unidentified officers.
Lanza, who was attending Roberto Clemente High School, was at his aunt's house on Nov. 26, 2001, when a woman approached and claimed he looked like someone who molested her daughter months ago, according to the suit.
Police were notified and he was taken to the station, interrogated for more than 48 hours, and not allowed to make a phone call or contact family members, the suit claims. He was also not read his Miranda rights.
To prove his innocence, Lanza agreed to submit to a polygraph test, but instead of giving him the test, the examiner, Bartik, continued to interrogate him, the suit claims.
Bartik, with the assistance of several other officers, then concocted a story that he confessed to molesting the girls while being questioned before the polygraph test, the suit said.
The officers also gave Lanza a form in English to sign, which they claimed would set him free, but instead was a form indicating he confessed to molesting the girls, the suit said.
Lanza signed the form and was charged with 26 counts of sexual assault to a minor and related offenses, the suit claims.
"While other children his age were going to high school, attending proms and obtaining their first jobs, plaintiff reached adulthood surrounded by bars, murderers, and rapists," the suit said.
Lanza was incarcerated at Cook County Jail for four years, until the true criminal was charged. The Cook County State's Attorney dropped all charge against Lanza and he was released from jail, according to the suit.
It claims Bartik had a history of concocting false confessions out of suspects throughout his career as a police officer.
The suit seeks an undisclosed amount in damages.
(Source: Sun-Times News Group Wire © Chicago Sun-Times 2009. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)
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