Jun 15, 2007 6:55 am US/Central
Lawsuit: Chicago Police Beat Man Because He Is Gay
The Head Of Chicago's Police Union Says Media Coverage Painting Unfair Picture Of City's Cops
CHICAGO (CBS) ―
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Alexander Ruppert, an AIDS patient, says Chicago police beat him severely in a 2006 incident. (File)
A Chicago man has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that police severely beat him because he is gay. The lawsuit is part of a string of misconduct claims against Chicago police--something officers dismiss as unfair.
As WBBM's Mike Parker reports, in March 2006, Alexander Ruppert, a gay man with AIDS, lay injured in the hospital. A beating left him with facial and head wounds and 16 stitches. Thursday, a federal lawsuit claimed he was beaten without provocation by two Chicago police officers from the 20th District.
"They beat him not only with their fists but they beat him with their words of hate," said attorney Jon Erickson.
The incident began in the Uptown Lounge when two officers arrested Ruppert for disorderly conduct. The suit claims the officers then drove him to a spot a few blocks away and beat him badly.
"He begged them to stop," said attorney Michael Oppenheimer. "It was only when he told them he had AIDS that they stop the vicious beating. And it was only after he bled all over their car that they called for medical attention."
Ruppert's partner, David Flood, said "[Ruppert] is seeking justice not only for himself but for our community."
The head of Chicago's police union said media coverage of the A Chicago man has filed a federal lawsuit alleging that police severely beat him because he is gay, and only stopped when they learned he has AIDS. The lawsuit is part of a string of misconduct claims against Chicago police--something officers dismiss as unfair. and the videotaped Anthony Abbate bartender assault create an unfair public perception of police behavior.
"If the average citizen would be subjected to the amount of coverage of the daily acts of heroism here in the department, they'd have a different perspective," said Mark Donohue of the Fraternal Order of Police.
After the incident, police filed charges of aggravated battery against a police officer against Ruppert. The officers claimed Ruppert injured their knuckles. The charges were later dropped by the Cook County State's Attorney's Office.
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