Explaining Police Misconduct
By Acosta, Batovski & Schmiege
Apr. 28, 2011 4:30p
The term “police misconduct” directly refers to any inappropriate actions executed by a police officer in connection with the performance of their official duties. Police misconduct can involve discrimination and it can lead to what is called a miscarriage of justice.
Miscarriage of justice deals with the conviction and punishment of a suspect for a crime which they did not commit. Miscarriage of justice is used interchangeably with a “wrongful conviction.” In the most severe cases, a wrongful conviction may not be overturned for years, or until new DNA evidence has exonerated them or until the person has either died in jail or been executed. If you have been a victim of police misconduct, it is crucial that you seek legal advice from a skilled and knowledgeable Chicago criminal defense attorney.
Police misconduct can include: false confession, false arrest, falsified evidence, false imprisonment, intimidation, police brutality, police corruption, political repression, racial profiling, sexual abuse, surveillance abuse, off-duty misconduct, noble cause corruption (where the officer justifies their bad behavior by believing good will come out of it), coerced confessions, illegal search and seizure and other acts that would qualify as police misconduct.
Police misconduct is not a myth; it is a real problem that has always existed in law enforcement. When people are in a position of power, they have a tendency to abuse their authority. There is an unspoken understanding that police officers share a “code of silence” and do not turn each other in for misconduct. A recent 2005 study revealed that there is evidence this code of silence does exist.
Chicago Police Misconduct Lawyer
When you are a victim of police misconduct, it can be very overwhelming, since it is your word against theirs. At this point in time, it is essential that you hire a Chicago police misconduct attorney from Acosta, Batovski & Schmiege. It is extremely important that you act quickly in order to gather evidence, documentation and witness testimony before it is too late, and you are convicted for a crime that you did not commit.
Contact a Chicago police misconduct lawyer from our firm today for a free initial case evaluation.
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