Cassandra Feuerstein Sues For Alleged Police Brutality

Cassandra Feuerstein, a Chicago woman, is suing after she claimed she was seriously injured when a cop used excessive force when he threw her face first into a jail cell’s concrete bench following a drunk driving arrest.

According to ABC News, Feuerstein, 47, claims in a federal lawsuit filed Wednesday, that she required reconstructive surgery to “replace the bones that had been shattered” after being pushed into the cell on March 10.

In a video released Wednesday by Feuerstein’s attorney, Torreya Hamilton, an officer can be seen acting with what he said is excessive force.

The Huffington Post reported that Feuerstein allegedly asked to call her husband and children.

“Officer Michael Hart called her out of the cell and Less than 10 seconds later, the video shows Hart launching the woman back into the cell where she hits the bench face-first.”

The video does show the officer shoving Feuerstein into the cell where she hits her head on the stone slab, and the video shows a pool of blood on the ground where she had collapsed.

Two other officers can be seen helping Feuerstein. A male officer is seen helping her sit up and holding her as a female officer works to stop the bleeding.

“He was not apologetic at all,” Hamilton says about Hart in the video.

The Huffington Post reported the following:

“The video speaks for itself,” Hamilton told the Chicago Tribune. “She does nothing to justify what this male police officer does.”

ABC News continued on to report Ann Tennes, Skokie’s town spokeswoman, saying the following in a statement regarding the allegations:

“The Village of Skokie expresses deep concern for Ms. Cassandra Feuerstein’s
injuries that occurred at the Skokie Police Station earlier this year.

“Officer Michael Hart has been on station duty and has no contact with the public. Both the Village of Skokie and the Cook County State’s Attorney have ongoing investigations pending that began when the incident occurred… The Village of Skokie is committed to reaching a full resolution in this matter.”

Cassandra Feuerstein did not deny her charges, and pleaded guilty to drunk driving, but states that she did not deserve the treatment that she had received.

[Image via Shutterstock/ sakhorn]