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ABC 7 News Reports:
By Paul Meincke January 9, 2013 (CHICAGO) -- His younger sister was shot and killed last year by an off-duty Chicago police officer. Now, Martinez Sutton is speaking out about his family's loss and their demand for justice. Twenty-two-year old Rekia Boyd was an innocent bystander when she was shot and killed by an off-duty police officer last March. It happened during a confrontation with Boyd's friend, who was scheduled to go on trial Thursday on misdemeanor charges in connection with the confrontation.
That misdemeanor case may be delayed again at the request of prosecutors.
Any police-involved shooting, especially one that has led to a lawsuit against the city as this one has, will not move quickly. But, Rekia Boyd's brother doesn't understand the absence of answers, particularly since he says he received an apology from the officer involved.
"I wake up some times and I expect to see her, and I haven't realized she's not coming back," Sutton said.
Sutton is smothered in grief and questions many months after the death of his sister. She was shot in the head by off-duty Chicago police detective Dante Servin on an unseasonably warm night last March.
Detective Servin was reportedly upset with late night noise behind his home across from Douglas Park and from his car had told a group of four people to quiet down. There were words, an object raised, and the detective fired his gun.
Antonio Cross was hit in the hand. The object he had raised was a cell phone. Boyd was hit in the head and pulled off life support the following day.
"I'm not an officer, but at least I know you're not supposed to shoot into a crowd," said Sutton.
Sutton told ABC7 that two months after his sister's death, he went to the shooting scene with a French television crew doing a story on victims of Chicago gun violence. While there, Detective Servin approached Sutton, asked for a hug, and explained that while he felt threatened that night, what happened was an accident.
"As he hugged me, he said, 'I'm so sorry. I didn't mean for that to happen. It shouldn't have been your sister that died. I didn't mean to shoot her.' He was telling me how sorry he is and how apologetic he is," said Sutton. "He said we deserve the right to know what happened."
What has perplexed and angered Rekia Boyd's family is that they have not heard an official version of what happened, nor has there been an apology or a decision on discipline.
"I was looking at the paper yesterday and the talk about how the streets have a code of silence. What about the code of silence inside the police department?" said Sutton. "You expect people on the street to speak, but you're not speaking when you take unlawful actions against us?"
Detective Servin was placed on administrative duty, ABC7 has learned.
The Independent Police Review Authority says its investigation is ongoing, but its preliminary findings were sent to the state's attorney's office last March.
ABC7 has asked if criminal charges are being considered against the officer, but have not received an answer.
An attorney for Rekia Boyd's family and a spokesman for the city's law department confirm that settlement discussions are underway in the Boyd lawsuit against the city.
ABC 7 News Reports:
March 13, 2013 (CHICAGO) -- The Chicago City Council Wednesday approved a $4.5 million settlement with the family of Rekia Boyd, an innocent by-stander who was shot and killed by a Chicago police officer. Wednesday night the family is troubled that the officer is still with the department.
It will be a year ago next week that Rekia Boyd was shot in the head by off-duty Chicago detective Dante Servin.
The city acknowledges that Servin, seated in his car, fired five shots blindly over his shoulder at a man with whom he'd exchanged angry words.
That man was Antonio Cross who was on his cellphone when he was shot in the thumb. Another bullet struck 22-year-old Rekia as she turned to escape the gunfire. She died the next day.
"We didn't even get a damn I'm sorry yet. We're still waiting," said Boyd's brother, Martinez Sutton.
Rekia's Boyd's family will receive $4.5 million as part of a wrongful death settlement approved by the city council. But justice, they say, will not be served until and unless Detective Servin is criminally charged.
"Superintendent (Garry) McCarthy and State's Attorney (Anita) Alvarez should accelerate their investigation and bring charges," said Bishop Tavis Grant. "It's very clear this woman was murdered."
Detective Servin was placed on administrative duty after the shooting where he remains today.
The Independent Police Review Authority in November turned over its report on the shooting to the State's Attorney office where it currently remains.
"Before I knew it, he got his gun aimed at my head and started shooting," Antonio Cross said.
Though wounded, Cross was charged after the shooting with aggravated assault, detective Servin as the victim. Cross went to court Wednesday morning. Servin did not, and the charge against Cross was dismissed.
"This has been a farce all along," said Benjamin Starks, Cross' attorney. "They knew they were not going to go forward, but they kept up the charade."
After approving another multi-million dollar settlement involving police conduct, some council members wonder aloud about discipline.
"There are certain mistakes that people make and they do lose their jobs for them. There are consequences for those mistakes," said Alderman Howard Brookins.
The financial settlement in the Boyd death came quickly, but the possible criminal prosecution of a police officer is not moving at the same speed.
The State's Attorney's office says that its review is ongoing and beyond that no comment on when or whether charges may come.
NewsOne Chicago Reports:
Nov 25, 2013 By NewsOne Staff
Chicago Police Officer Dante Servin, 45, is charged with involuntary manslaughter, reckless discharge of a firearm and reckless conduct in the March 2012 shooting death of Rekia Boyd, 22.
Servin was being held on $75,000 bond, reports the Chicago Tribune.
As previously reported by NewsOne, Boyd was an innocent bystander in Chicago’s Douglas Park around 1:00 a.m. on March 21, 2012 when Servin, responding to a disturbance call, arrived on the scene. The officer exchanged words with Antonio Cross, who was also in the park. After turning away, Servin, who was in his car, claims he saw Cross pull out a gun. It was actually his cell phone, but it was too late.
Servin fired five shots “blindly” over his shoulder, shooting Cross in his thumb and striking Boyd in the head. She died the next day at Mount Sinai Hospital.
There were no weapons recovered at the scene.
Cross was charged with aggravated assaulted against Servin. The officer did not appear for the court date, so charged were dropped.
“We didn’t even get a damn I’m sorry yet. We’re still waiting,” said Boyd’s brother, Martinez Sutton.
Prosecutors said Servin was “frustrated” by the noise coming from the park when he left his home, but that didn’t give him a license to kill:
“lt’s a sad day when charges are warranted against a police officer, but we feel very strongly that in this particular case Ms. Rekia Boyd lost her life for no reason and that this defendant actions were reckless in shooting in that alleyway that was occupied,” State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez said.
The city settled a $4.5 million wrongful death lawsuit with Boyd’s family this March.
Read more at the Chicago Tribune.