Chicago Police Detective called Reynaldo Guevara faces a lawsuit against him. Due to his unjust past actions, he will now have to face the people he has wronged in court. To add on, he is being sued due to allegations of him convicting people unfairly/unjustly. Stories about wasted Youth years were shared, and all blamed him for it. Lastly, many people accuse Guevara of forcing confessions, forcing false stories, scaring witnesses, manipulating arrest lineups,
He had worked as a Chicago police officer on the Wests Side from the 1970s to the 1980s. During his time working, more than 30 murder convictions were overturned. After reviewing his cases, the city of Chicago, some police officers, and 11 more exonerated men have filed a lawsuit against Guevara.
Victims of Guevara’s Injustices
Unfortunately, these are people that got convicted unrightfully or for things they didn’t commit:
- The Hernandez Brothers — Spent 25 years in prison for a wrongfully accused murder.
- Daniel Rodriguez — Spent around 18 years in prison for a murder he did not commit.
- David Lugo — Spent 26 years in prison without waving his rights to properly say bye to his family.
Guevara had taken away these means of rights, and they expect justice because of it. Furthermore, Guevara is currently living in Texas. He has made an apology, but the victims believe it is not enough. Equally important, people are waiting to see what will happen, if Guevara is going to have to confess, pay the victims, or if the court will revisit the victim’s cases.
Who Else?
These men are just some of the hundreds of people in Chicago and across the United States that have been convicted unrightfully or for the wrong things. Not to mention, CPD (Chicago Police Department) has a history of Police officers being racist, abusing their power, and unrightfully blaming people, all throughout the years. Furthermore, here are some other Police Officers that have a history of doing that:
- Jon Burge — He physically abused an accused murderer, causing CPD to fire him.
- Francis Valadez.
- Steve Buglio.
- Jason Van Dyke.
- Timothy O’Connor.
There are just some of many CPD Officers that have shown misconduct. Even though there were multiple protests and multiple city council meetings, there has not been much change in Police Brutality and misconduct. Unfortunately, most seem to still be working and only received temporary suspensions after their wrongdoing.
The Privileges People Don’t Have After Leaving Jail
After going to Jail there are some privileges that people can’t experience or use anymore, and those will change dramatically the way they live the rest of their lives. Additionally, these rights that people that have been in jail Lose can vary from State to State, but the following are the most common:
- The teaching license (can be revoked depending on the severity of the crime committed).
- The revoking of the gun possession License will happen (this applies if someone is a felon).
- The revoking of passports will happen (in some cases).
- People can no longer be part of jury duty.
- Limited jobs, certain professions don’t allow people that have been incarcerated to work for them.
- Parental rights (if it’s a serious crime on someone’s record. In some cases it could depend on the length of time being spent incarcerated, the amount of communication with the child and parent, or even the poverty level of the family).
- Getting loans (Although it is not revoked, it is harder for people that have a record to take out a loan. Even if it’s a house or a car loan, etc.).
What’s Next?
At this time, CPD has done things to maintain the peace. They have inserted the following:
- Dash Cams in every police officer, ensuring that every interaction is caught on camera preventing false accusations.
- Annual in-service training for all police officers.
- De-Escalation Training for all police officers.
Alternatively, CPD has been talking about banning certain tactics that can be too violent or brutal. Like requiring warnings before shooting. Even so, banning shooting at moving vehicles.
Many hope that with all the awareness and issues that have been brought up due to Police misconduct, something is done about it. The people of Chicago are hoping that the next mayor will do something about it as well. Not to mention, the people of the city can help too. First, through voting. Second, through raising awareness, and spreading the word. Finally, staying informed. This is something that needs to be addressed in Chicago, and that is affecting the lives of everyone in the city.
Written by Adriana Castelan
Sources:
ABC7: 11 exonerees file federal lawsuits against former Chicago detective for coercing false confessions
Chicago Police Department: A Better CPD For Everyone
WGN9: New lawsuits filed against former Chicago cop bring old allegations to light
Featured Image Courtesy of Inventorchris’ Flickr Page – creative commons license
Inset Image Courtesy of Adriana Castelan
