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Title: Family gets $333,000 for 2009 raid in which cops killed dog
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URL Source: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ ... t-dog-20110819,0,4697991.story
Published: Aug 20, 2011
Author: David Heinzmann
Post Date: 2011-08-20 08:52:30 by Eric Stratton
Keywords: None
Views: 250
Comments: 20
Photo illustration (Chicago Tribune) A federal jury awarded $333,000 to a Chicago family Thursday after Chicago police officers raided its South Side home with guns drawn and shot its dog in a search that found no criminal activity in the apartment. Teenage brothers Thomas and Darren Russell were in their second-floor apartment in the 9200 block of South Justine Street in February 2009 when officers announced they had a warrant to search both units of the two-flat. Thomas Russell, then 18, opened the door and found officers with their guns drawn, according to the lawsuit. Russell said that he put his hands in the air and asked permission to lock up his 9-year-old black Labrador, Lady, before they entered. Police refused the request and came into the house, the lawsuit said. When Lady came loping around the corner with her tail wagging, Officer Richard Antonsen shot the dog, according to the suit, which alleged excessive force, false arrest and illegal seizure for taking the dog's life. 
Thomas Russell was arrested and charged with obstructing police but was later found not guilty. No drugs were found in the Russell family's apartment, though police recovered drugs in the building's other unit, the family's lawyers said.
"Darren and Thomas did everything right that night," said Amanda Antholt, one of the family's lawyers. "They were cooperating with the officers and were met with guns to their heads and the shooting death of their family dog."
Jennifer Hoyle, a spokeswoman for the city's Law Department, said: "The officers involved in this case were executing a valid search warrant when this incident occurred and were simply protecting themselves. We are extremely disappointed and reviewing all of our options. In particular, we think the damages awarded to the plaintiffs were excessive."
The jury awarded Thomas Russell $175,000, Darren Russell $85,000 and their parents $35,000 each. The jury also awarded the family $2,000 in punitive damages, levied against Antonsen for shooting the dog, and $1,000, against the police supervisor who made the decision to arrest Thomas Russell.
dheinzmann@tribune.com
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#1. To: Eric Stratton (#0)
Good job, jury. Next time make it 3.33M.
#2. To: Lod (#1)
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