The three CPD officers who tased, punched and pistol-whipped a suspect in 2017 could be facing dismissal from the force. Administrative charges have been filed against the three officers by Chicago Police Superintendent David Brown.
The officers responded to an early morning call to a convenience store in Humboldt Park on the 3700 block of West Chicago Avenue. When Officers Chavez Silver and Michael Benamon arrived on the scene, they were told there was a man inside with a gun. When the officers attempted to arrest 27-year-old Charles Whitehead a struggle ensued, according to the Civilian Office of Police Accountability. Whitehead was punched in the stomach by Benamon before he was disarmed. After Whitehead was handcuffed, Silver continued to pistol-whip him even after the man was laid on the ground.
Then Siler told another officer to taser Whitehead in the face. Benamon kneeled on the suspect and signaled the other office to tase him in the back instead. Silver did not stop beating Whitehead with his gun until he was motionless on the ground. His face was so bloodied that reports stated there was a “significant amount of blood on the floor.”
Store surveillance footage shows the struggle lasted five minutes.
In March 2021, the Civilian Office of Police Accountability requested the three officers involved in the arrest be fired. The officers involved were Chavez Siler, Corey Boone, and Robert Clark. Supt. Brown agreed with the request and filed documents on March 11, 2022.
Whitehead was charged with several felonies from that arrest. He pled guilty to having a firearm while being a felon. He served four-and-a-half years in prison.
The Civilian Office of Police Accountability is charging Siler with using “deadly force” violating five department rules including engaging in a physical altercation that could not be justified, and using his weapon unnecessarily.
Allegedly, Boone broke the same five rules plus he lied to investigators, failed to break up the struggle, and he did not report the aggressive actions of his fellow officers. Clark is accused of making false/misleading statements to investigators and failing to report the actions of his fellow officers.
Two of the three officers have remained on active duty. The disciplinary hearing has been set for Tuesday, according to the Chicago Sun-Times.
Written by Jeanette Vietti
Sources:
Audacy: Three CPD officers could be fired for 2017 incident where a suspect was tased and pistol whipped; by Rachel Pierson
Chicago Sun-Times: Chicago cops face firing 5 years after man was ‘pistol-whipped,’ shocked with Taser during gun arrest; by Tom Schuba, David Struett
Featured Image Courtesy of Terence Faircloth’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
Inline Image Courtesy of Laura Hadden’s Flickr Page – Creative Commons License
