Weis Rebukes Judge, Won't Hand Over List

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Feb 23, 2009 10:25PM

Despite an order from U.S. Magistrate Judge Maria Valdez, Chicago Police Superintendent Jody Weis will not release a list of officers who have had five or more citizen complaints filed against them since 2000. Judge Valdez made the order due to a current lawsuit against the city accusing a police officer of using excessive force and making a false arrest.

Attorneys for Donna Moore are seeking the lists to try to show a pattern of the police department sweeping officers’ misconduct under the rug.

In a lawsuit Moore filed against the city, she accuses Officer Robert Smith of falsely arresting her 11-year-old son and 13-year-old daughter over a playground dispute involving Smith’s son in 2007. Smith “physically attacked” the children before they were arrested, according to the lawsuit.

The attorneys hoped to obtain the list so they could show a pattern of abuse. Weis's deadline, set for last Friday at 4 p.m., came and went and instead of handing over the list, Weis filed papers with the court refusing to hand over the list because it would, "compromise officers’ performance, threaten safety, reduce morale and improperly impugn many officers’ otherwise well-deserved good reputations.” The list would also include a list of officers that have had 10 or more complaints filed against them between 2001 and 2006, a list the federal appeals court in Chicago is contemplating a release for.