Two Months After Her Death, No Answers For Rekia Boyd's Family

By aaroncynic in News on May 7, 2012 1:30PM

It's been nearly two months since Rekia Boyd was shot dead by an off-duty Chicago police officer in Lawndale. In March, an off duty detective made a stop to investigate a reported disturbance in Douglas Park and soon after, opened fire at a man who the officer said was armed. Instead he struck Boyd in the head. She died later at Mount Sinai Hospital.

Well now more than 40 days later, the family of Boyd has yet to obtain any answers about her death.

The Sun-Times reports that Officer Dante Servin, who fired the shots which killed Boyd, has yet to be charged with any crime. According to Scott Ando of the Independent Police Review Authority, investigations of this nature are a “lengthy process.” Ando told the Sun-Times the Authority has been investigating, has canvassed the neighborhood, collected evidence and interviewed witnesses.

Boyd's family wants answers. Martinez Sutton, Boyd's brother, told NBC5 in April, “I can't even describe the hurt, the pain and the feelings that we had. It's unbearable.” Their attorney, James Montgomery, said Officer Servin argued his life was in danger when Antonio Cross, walking with Boyd, approached his car with a gun. Cross allegedly yelled “fuck you” at Servin while approaching the car after the officer told the group of people in the park to “shut up all that motherfucking noise.” No weapon was ever found, and Cross was charged with misdemeanor aggravated assault. Cross says neither he nor Boyd had a gun and "that girl was killed for nothing." The family has since filed a wrongful death lawsuit against the city and against Servin.

Another relative of Boyd's pointed out to the Sun-Times that CPD took swifter action against an off-duty officer whose dog killed another dog at Montrose Dog Beach. She told the Sun-Times, “That just says to me that these officials care more about a dog than they do a young black woman who was shot dead in the street.”