Trial begins for cops accused of beating gay man

[ccharles000]

(Chicago, Illinois) Jury selection began in a federal lawsuit against two Chicago police officers accused of beating a gay man.

Alexander Ruppert claims that officers Vincent Torres and Kent Pemberton beat him and denied him his civil rights solely because of his sexuality in a 2006 altercation.

Ruppert, 37, says he was beaten nearly unconscious while the cops hurled anti-gay remarks at him and then placed him in a holding cell for two days without food or water.

The lawsuit also names the City of Chicago as a defendant.

The lawsuit claims Ruppert was removed by the two officers from the Uptown Lounge following a disturbance and placed in a squad car.

He was not initially charged with any offense and was not handcuffed, court papers say.

The suit says that Ruppert then was driven to deserted area behind a theater where he was beaten while the officers called him a “faggot” and other derogatory remarks.

The cops allegedly stopped the beating when Ruppert told them he had AIDS.

http://www.365gay.com/news/trial-begins-for-cops-accused-of-beating-gay-man/

[trollybob]

1. Unless the incident was recorded, the plaintiff will never prevail.

This sort of encounter has no doubt occurred countless times over the years. You could have 85 witnesses from the community, and it wouldn't matter, the cops would lie about it, as cops are so prone to do. If it ain't on video, then it never happened. After all, your average juror from the Berwyn all-star bowling team, since they've never had any confrontation with the police, would ask "why would the police lie? They're just doing their job."

[ccharles000]

2. kick