Investigation Into Police Misconduct on Election Night

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Nov 9, 2008 8:10PM

The Independent Police Review Authority is looking into accusations of police misconduct, including the pepper-spraying of children, against Obama supporters celebrating his election on Tuesday night. The incident has led to a federal lawsuit filed by the family, asking for.more than $150,000 in damages. According to the WBBM:

Christina Ballard and Cornelius Voss were driving their young niece home Tuesday night following Obama’s win when three unmarked police cars began driving alongside them, according to family attorney Gregory Kulis.

The incident happened about 10:30 p.m. in the 5700 block of West Division Street, after the three girls -- ages 11, 6 and 1 -- started yelling “Yay! Obama” out the open car windows, Kulis said.

As the girls shouted and celebrated, a man in one of the three vehicles, which Kulis said had city license plates, yelled “white power” at the vehicle and called the family “n*****s.”

The man, allegedly a Chicago police officer, then sprayed pepper spray into the vehicle.

IPRA spokesman Mark Payne confirmed the incident was being investigated and that other pepper-spraying incidents that occurred around the city were being investigated.