CHICAGO (CN) – A Chicago police officer was removed from the force Thursday evening after hearings involving the shooting deaths of a college student and grandmother in 2015.
The Chicago Police Board announced the decision after several evidentiary hearings that echoed the officer’s civil trial in 2018.
Robert Rialmo shot and killed 19-year-old Quintonio LeGrier outside his father Antonio’s apartment in the early morning hours of Dec. 26, 2015 after responding to a domestic disturbance call.
The officer also accidentally hit and killed LeGrier’s downstairs neighbor, Bettie Jones, 55.
No criminal charges were filed, although Chicago’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability found the shooting unjustified.
The city and Rialmo were immediately sued by both families, with Jones’ daughters quickly settling for a reported $16 million.
The other complaint went to trial however, Rialmo arguing in court that he was defending his life when LeGrier, who had a history of mental illness, rushed down the apartment building stairs and swung at his head with a baseball bat.
The family’s attorney countered that Rialmo’s life was never in danger and his actions were out of line.
The jury found in favor of the family, but the judge took away the $1 million awarded because they answered “yes” to her question as to whether they thought Rialmo believed lethal force was necessary in the situation.
The jury also found in favor of the officer himself for his emotional distress counterclaim, after Rialmo said in court that he was deeply affected by the death of Jones. He was not awarded any damages.
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