Man Claims Chicago Cop|Demanded Gay Sex

CHICAGO (CN) - A Chicago cop demanded, and got, sexual services in jail from a gay man arrested on prostitution charges, the man claims in court.

Charles Norwood sued Chicago and police Officer Nelson Stewart in Federal Court.

Norwood, a gay African American, was arrested five times in 2010 and 2011 on charges of prostitution and soliciting rides on the public way, according to the complaint.

At the police station, "he was placed in a cell in an isolated area of the lockup area. This cell was not located near the other cells in the lock up area that generally contained other men who were incarcerated," the complaint states.

"Upon information and belief, plaintiff was placed in this isolated cell because he was gay and/or gender non-conforming and the Chicago Police Department had no written policies, procedures or training materials that instructed officers on how to properly identify and detain gay, transgender and/or gender non-conforming individuals who had been arrested.

"While being held at the 11th District, plaintiff first encountered defendant Stewart.

"Defendant Stewart told plaintiff that if he engaged in sexual acts with him and/or performed various sexual acts for defendant Steward to observe, defendant Steward would get plaintiff bonded out and released earlier than expected.

"Plaintiff did not want to engage in any sexual acts with or for defendant Stewart, but he felt powerless, vulnerable and coerced into doing so in order to avoid any retributive acts by defendant Stewart and with the hope of getting released. Plaintiff was sexually abused by defendant Stewart," the complaint states.

Norwood claims that "during the course of these non-consensual and coercive sexual encounters, plaintiff was forced to expose and touch his genitalia and other body parts for defendant Stewart's arousal. Defendant Stewart also forced plaintiff to touch Stewart's exposed penis.

"Plaintiff was not the only gay and/or gender non-conforming individual who was targeted and sexually abused by defendant Stewart. There were other individuals locked up at the 11th District who were subjected to the same and similar forms of gross and egregious misconduct," he says.

Norwood seeks punitive damages for excessive force, illegal search, and violation of equal protection.

He is represented by Perry Grimaldi.

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