Post by WaTcHeR on Jun 30, 2006 14:25:19 GMT -5
06.30.2006 - MARENGO, Ill. - "They brought in another person and knocked him out right in front of me and told me that I was going to be next," says Kevin Gaughan while describing what he says happened at the Marengo Police Department.
Gaughan was 19-years-old in 2004 when he says he thought he was at the police department to give a statement about police brutality. Instead, Gaughan says he was intimidated by police and that it was caught on a police department security camera videotape that is now being made public through litigation.
Gaughan says police tried to get him to change his story involving earlier police brutality allegations he made targeting Marengo police officer Scott Crawford. Kevin Gaughan and his brother, Brian, say Crawford used excessive force against them in 2004 during an altercation at a local festival. Gaughan's attorney says they are two of at least five people who have come forward alleging abuse by Scott Crawford.
Gaughn hoped an outside agency, the Illinois State Police (ISP), would investigate their claims.
"They came to my parents house, where I was, and said, 'Why don't you come with us to the Marengo police station to finish up this investigation' and I said okay," but Gaughn says that is when the situation turned ugly. "Once I got inside, they just started yelling and swearing and threatening me."
Gaughan says they were trying to get him to recant the brutality allegations. Says a nervous Gaughn, "They were saying drop the charges. Don't continue this anymore or I am going to be brought up on (more) felony charges and my family is going to be brought up on charges."
CBS 2 examined the videotape, which has no audio. A State Police Special Agent can be seen lifting up a chair, a few feet away from Gaughan and repeatedly shaking it in the air. The same investigator is waving his arms, then holding them behind his back as though he was demonstrating being handcuffed. Gaughn claims the tape shows him being slapped, but law enforcement sources says a bug was being knocked off of him.
"I was terrified, scared," says Gaughan because he says he witnessed a man in custody get knocked out. A handcuffed Orest Hedio was brought into the room where Gaughan was talking to investigators. Gaughan says Hedio tried to give him advice.
"When he came into the police station (Hedio) turned to me and said don't talk to the cops without a lawyer and (officer) punched him the face," claims Gaughan.
The videotape shows a Marengo police officer apparently pushing Hedio. A State Police Investigator gets up from his chair and moves towards Hedio. That's when Gaughan says Hedio was punched. However, law enforcement sources and a police report say the State Police investigator did not hit Hedio and never touched him. They say the one responsible was a Marengo Police Officer. CBS 2 is told while the Marengo Police Officer was pushing Hedio, his head hit the wall and he was knocked out.
In an investigative report, the Marengo officer said Hedio, "...started kicking, and lost his balance, so he took Hedio to the ground to maintain control of him." The officer also said Hedio "... settled down immediately after going to the ground."
On the videotape Hedio never appears to kick the officer, and Hedio also appears to be unconscious once he hit the ground. The officer kicked his feet, removed his shoes and dragged him into a cell. Sources say no medical help was called. Later on the videotape, you can see the officer cleaning up the floor where Hedio fell.
Kevin Gaughan says that after all that he witnessed, he signed a statement recanting his original charges of police brutality. Then, he was charged with filing a false police brutality claim.
"They (police) are lying and ruining lives," says Paul Ciolino a private investigator hired by the Gaughans. "We need to do something about this because the breakdown of this system is that no one is going to have faith in it and no one is going to pay attention to the police."
Scott Crawford, the focus of the Gaughan's brutality claims, resigned from Marengo Police in 2005. This came after a videotape surfaced of him allegedly hitting a handcuffed man in 2001 while working as a Waukegan police officer. Police sources say Crawford failed to list this past abuse allegation and investigation on his Marengo job application.
Hedio and the Gaughans plan on filing seperate lawsuits against the police officers involved. Gaughan's attorney has already filed a motion to appoint an independent prosecutor. None of the law enforcement agencies involved would comment because of pending litigation.
"To me this is police brutality," says the Gaughan's father Brian Gaughan. He explains this two year ordeal has taken a toll on his family, "It's a nightmare. It's a financial nightmare. It's an emotional nightmare. Never in my life have I been afraid to be pulled over by police."
cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_180205857.html
Gaughan was 19-years-old in 2004 when he says he thought he was at the police department to give a statement about police brutality. Instead, Gaughan says he was intimidated by police and that it was caught on a police department security camera videotape that is now being made public through litigation.
Gaughan says police tried to get him to change his story involving earlier police brutality allegations he made targeting Marengo police officer Scott Crawford. Kevin Gaughan and his brother, Brian, say Crawford used excessive force against them in 2004 during an altercation at a local festival. Gaughan's attorney says they are two of at least five people who have come forward alleging abuse by Scott Crawford.
Gaughn hoped an outside agency, the Illinois State Police (ISP), would investigate their claims.
"They came to my parents house, where I was, and said, 'Why don't you come with us to the Marengo police station to finish up this investigation' and I said okay," but Gaughn says that is when the situation turned ugly. "Once I got inside, they just started yelling and swearing and threatening me."
Gaughan says they were trying to get him to recant the brutality allegations. Says a nervous Gaughn, "They were saying drop the charges. Don't continue this anymore or I am going to be brought up on (more) felony charges and my family is going to be brought up on charges."
CBS 2 examined the videotape, which has no audio. A State Police Special Agent can be seen lifting up a chair, a few feet away from Gaughan and repeatedly shaking it in the air. The same investigator is waving his arms, then holding them behind his back as though he was demonstrating being handcuffed. Gaughn claims the tape shows him being slapped, but law enforcement sources says a bug was being knocked off of him.
"I was terrified, scared," says Gaughan because he says he witnessed a man in custody get knocked out. A handcuffed Orest Hedio was brought into the room where Gaughan was talking to investigators. Gaughan says Hedio tried to give him advice.
"When he came into the police station (Hedio) turned to me and said don't talk to the cops without a lawyer and (officer) punched him the face," claims Gaughan.
The videotape shows a Marengo police officer apparently pushing Hedio. A State Police Investigator gets up from his chair and moves towards Hedio. That's when Gaughan says Hedio was punched. However, law enforcement sources and a police report say the State Police investigator did not hit Hedio and never touched him. They say the one responsible was a Marengo Police Officer. CBS 2 is told while the Marengo Police Officer was pushing Hedio, his head hit the wall and he was knocked out.
In an investigative report, the Marengo officer said Hedio, "...started kicking, and lost his balance, so he took Hedio to the ground to maintain control of him." The officer also said Hedio "... settled down immediately after going to the ground."
On the videotape Hedio never appears to kick the officer, and Hedio also appears to be unconscious once he hit the ground. The officer kicked his feet, removed his shoes and dragged him into a cell. Sources say no medical help was called. Later on the videotape, you can see the officer cleaning up the floor where Hedio fell.
Kevin Gaughan says that after all that he witnessed, he signed a statement recanting his original charges of police brutality. Then, he was charged with filing a false police brutality claim.
"They (police) are lying and ruining lives," says Paul Ciolino a private investigator hired by the Gaughans. "We need to do something about this because the breakdown of this system is that no one is going to have faith in it and no one is going to pay attention to the police."
Scott Crawford, the focus of the Gaughan's brutality claims, resigned from Marengo Police in 2005. This came after a videotape surfaced of him allegedly hitting a handcuffed man in 2001 while working as a Waukegan police officer. Police sources say Crawford failed to list this past abuse allegation and investigation on his Marengo job application.
Hedio and the Gaughans plan on filing seperate lawsuits against the police officers involved. Gaughan's attorney has already filed a motion to appoint an independent prosecutor. None of the law enforcement agencies involved would comment because of pending litigation.
"To me this is police brutality," says the Gaughan's father Brian Gaughan. He explains this two year ordeal has taken a toll on his family, "It's a nightmare. It's a financial nightmare. It's an emotional nightmare. Never in my life have I been afraid to be pulled over by police."
cbs2chicago.com/topstories/local_story_180205857.html
