Even after reporters identified lost cases, only some officers served suspensions.
Advisory: This story contains graphic language.
Brandon Whitehead dropped to his knees in the middle of the busy
street, cars veering around him as an off-duty Chicago police officer
aimed a handgun at him and his father.
It was nearly midnight, and Walter Whitehead had been driving his
16-year-old home from his job as a cashier at Long John Silver’s.
Brandon stayed quiet as the officer, who also had just left work,
called 911 for assistance. Then the officer, William Levigne, called
again. On the third call, Levigne became indignant, requesting help from
“a brother in blue” as he blocked traffic: “I’ve got two offenders here
in custody — tried to kill me here!”
Levigne later told investigators that the Whiteheads had cut him off
in traffic that night in October 2006 as they were driving down South
Western Avenue on the city’s South Side. He overtook them in his Monte
Carlo while pointing a gun at them, then ordered them out of their car
at a stoplight, forced them to their knees and handcuffed Walter
Whitehead, records show.
Brandon Whitehead had called 911, too. He was terrified as Levigne,
not in uniform, approached the car with his gun drawn, swearing and
calling them “jagoff” and “motherfucker.” He and his father initially
thought they were being carjacked.
Source: Propublica
