Cassandra Feuerstein has sued the village of Skokie and one of its police officers, saying she was injured so badly after she was shoved into a jail cell after she was arrested that she needed to get facial reconstructive surgery.
Feuerstein, 47, was arrested on drunk driving charges in March, and taken to the jail. While there a police officer shoved her headfirst into a cell. The situation was caught on camera.
“The video speaks for itself,” Feuerstein’s attorney, Torreya Hamilton, told the Chicago Tribune. “She does nothing to justify what this male police officer does.”
A police officer shoves Feuerstein into her cell, causing her to hit her head on part of the wall. Two police officers tend to her after the shove as a pool of blood appears.
She had to get facial reconstructive surgery and a titanium plate in her cheek because of what happened, she says.
“This can go from 0-60 so quickly, like this man did with someone who’s clearly no threat to him is dangerous -- could be dangerous with that type of power that he has,” Feuerstein’s attorney, Torri Hamilton, told NBC. “She doesn’t even know, we don’t even know what she’s going to need in the future.”
Feuerstein pleaded guilty to drunk driving.
Hamilton said she’s moving forward with the lawsuit because there have been no internal charges against the officer.
Feuerstein seeks an unspecified amount of damages.
The village released a statement and said that both officers present at the time have been interviewed and “treated Ms. Feuerstein with professionalism and respect.”
The village "is deeply concerned about this isolated incident,” the statement continued. “… The Village of Skokie is committed to reaching a full resolution in this matter.”
