Evanston PD Release Disturbing Video Of Black Northwestern Student's Violent Arrest

By Stephen Gossett in News on Jan 13, 2017 11:33PM

The Evanston Police Department released disturbing footage of a traffic stop from last year in which officers violently, wrongfully arrest a black graduate student from Northwestern University. The student is suing the police department for excessive use of force, among other charges, after police forcibly apprehended him on suspicion of stealing a car that was his.

Lawrence Crosby was pulled over on Oct. 10, 2015 in the 1500 block of Ridge Avenue in Evanston, according to the lawsuit.

In the video, Crosby exits his car with his hands raised, telling police that he owns the vehicle. When police approach, he moves to the hood of the car so that he can be filmed by his own dashcam. Officers then swarm, guns drawn, and wrestle him violently to the ground. While on the ground, Crosby extendedly details that the car belongs to him, including where he bought the vehicle, while offering his own personal information.

The car did belong to Crosby, but police charged him with disobeying a police officer and resisting arrest, Crosby's attorney, Tim Touhy, said, according to ABC7. Crosby was acquitted and is now suing Evanston PD.

The video also contains the 911 dispatch audio in which the woman reports what she thinks is the car being robbed.

"I don't know if I'm racial profiling. I feel bad," she says.

At the beginning of the video, an EPD spokesman says in an introduction says that the the subject "non-comples" with officer commands. He says the case was reviewed and the department determined that force was "in compliance with our procedures." He adds however that EPD has changed its "problematic" policy that requires arrestees to be "prone."

Crosby is suing the City of Evanston along with the arresting officers for malicious prosecution, battery and use of force, failure to prevent battery and use of force, vicarious liability and conspiracy, according to reports.