Two officers, Scott Korhonen and Gerald Lodwich, who were found guilty of sodomizing a young black man in 2006 during a police search, are still employed by the Chicago Police Department to this day.
23 year old Coprez Coffie testified that the officers jammed a screwdriver into his rectum during a search. The injuries to Coffie were confirmed and documented, and his fecal matter was found in the glove compartment of the officer’s car.
The officers were found guilty in 2007 for the crime by a 9-member jury. A United States District Court judge determined that they were not only guilty, but that both officers involved lied under oath.
The City of Chicago was ordered to pay Coffie a $4 million settlement, plus nearly $675,000 for his legal fees.
After the verdict was announced in 2007, Coffie said:
“Justice was served. Now you see what’s going on. It’s put to the light.”
But as it turns out, justice was not served.
Despite being found guilty of raping Coffie with a screwdriver and lying under oath, the officers never served a jail sentence, and, perhaps most shockingly of all, 12 years later, both officers are still employed by the Chicago Police Department.
Lodwich made $90,618 last year as an officer. The rapist Scott Korhonen made $87,384.
If anyone else committed the crimes these two officers did, they would be in jail.
This is an outrageous example of the depravity of the American police force and their obstinateness in addressing brutality in their departments. It is nothing short of criminal.
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