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Killing of Rekia Boyd

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Killing of Rekia Boyd
DateMarch 21, 2012 (2012-03-21)
LocationChicago, Illinois, US
TypeHomicide, shooting
MotiveResponse to being called a crackhead
ParticipantsDante Servin (shooter)
DeathsRekia Boyd
AccusedDante Servin
ChargesInvoluntary manslaughter
VerdictNot guilty[1]

Rekia Boyd (November 5, 1989 - March 21, 2012) was a 22-year-old Black American woman who was fatally shot in Chicago, Illinois by Dante Servin, an off-duty Hispanic Chicago police detective, on March 21, 2012.[1][2]

Killing

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Servin, an off-duty police officer, drove his car to Douglass Park on the West Side of Chicago after calling the police to make a noise complaint.[3] He then approached a group of four individuals who had been partying in the park[3][4] and had some form of verbal altercation with them.[3][4] One of the victims, Antonio Cross, alleged that he believed Servin was looking for a drug dealer, to which Cross allegedly told Servin to get his "crackhead ass" out of there.[3]

Servin fired on the group, hitting Rekia Boyd in the head, and Antonio Cross in the hand. Initially, the Chicago police department claimed that Servin had discharged his weapon after Cross had approached him with a gun.[5] The Boyd family quickly responded that the object was in fact a cell phone.[6] No weapon was ever recovered from the scene.[4]

Aftermath

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On April 5, 2012, Boyd’s family filed a lawsuit against Chicago. The lawsuit was settled in March 2013. In November 2013, Servin was charged with involuntary manslaughter,[7] He requested a bench trial. He was cleared on April 20 2015 by Judge Dennis J. Porter in a rare directed verdict.[8] Porter's reasoning was that since the shooting was intentional, Servin could not be charged with recklessness. "It is intentional and the crime, if any there be, is first-degree murder," said Porter in his ruling.[9] Following this ruling, Servin could not be charged with murder due to double jeopardy protections.[10]

Servin claimed he fired because someone in the group was holding a gun, but it was actually only a cellphone.[11] In November 2015, Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and police superintendent Garry McCarthy both suggested that Dante Servin should be fired by the Chicago Police Board.[12] The city paid $4.5 million to Boyd's family to settle a wrongful-death lawsuit.[13]

Servin resigned on May 17, 2016, two days before the departmental hearing which was to decide whether he should be fired.[14][15]

In November 2019, Servin requested that the case be expunged from his record. The request was denied by a judge, as was a subsequent request to seal the case's records.[16]

Protests

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The ruling sparked some public protest.[9] The Black Lives Matter movement has protested the deaths of black girls and women at the hands of police, including Boyd's.[17]

See also

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References

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  1. ^ a b Tolentino, Jia (April 21, 2015). "Cop Who Killed Rekia Boyd Out of 'Fear' Found Not Guilty on All Counts". Jezebel. Archived from the original on April 25, 2015. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  2. ^ Goldstein, Sasha. "Judge finds Chicago police officer not guilty in fatal shooting". Reuters. Archived from the original on 2021-10-01. Retrieved 2021-10-01.
  3. ^ a b c d Sweeney, Annie. "Inside the failed prosecution of Chicago Detective Dante Servin". chicagotribune.com. Archived from the original on 2017-01-06. Retrieved 2017-01-05.
  4. ^ a b c Rucinski, Tracy (November 25, 2013). "Chicago cop charged with killing unarmed young woman during off-duty confrontation". NY Daily News. Archived from the original on 6 December 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  5. ^ Sobol, Rosemary (March 21, 2012). "Cops: Off-duty Chicago detective shoots couple". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 6 January 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  6. ^ "Chicagoans Rally For Rekia Boyd, Woman Fatally Shot By Off-Duty Detective". Huffington Post. Mar 30, 2012. Archived from the original on 6 January 2017. Retrieved 5 January 2017.
  7. ^ Goldstein, Sasha (November 28, 2013). "Chicago cop charged with killing unarmed young woman during off-duty confrontation". NY Daily News. Archived from the original on April 27, 2015. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  8. ^ The Associated Press (April 20, 2015). "Chicago Police Detective Cleared of Manslaughter in Shooting Death". NY Daily News. Archived from the original on May 18, 2015. Retrieved April 28, 2015.
  9. ^ a b Cynic, Aaron (April 27, 2015). "Judge's Ruling in Rekia Boyd Case Sparks Outrage, Protests". Chicagoist via Truth-Out.org. Archived from the original on April 28, 2015. Retrieved April 25, 2015.
  10. ^ Schutz, Paris; Thometz, Kristen. "Aftermath of Rekia Boyd Verdict". WTTW News. Archived from the original on 2022-01-18. Retrieved 2022-01-17.
  11. ^ "Editorial: Rekia Boyd shooting was 'beyond reckless,' so cop got a pass". Chicago Tribune. 22 April 2015. Archived from the original on 21 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  12. ^ Hernandez, Jade (November 24, 2015). "Emanuel: Officer who fatally shot Rekia Boyd 'does not deserve to wear police star' Archived 2015-12-05 at the Wayback Machine". ABC 7 Chicago.
  13. ^ Gorner, Jeremy. "Anger follows acquittal in rare trial of Chicago cop". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 10 July 2022. Retrieved 10 July 2022.
  14. ^ "Chicago officer who shot Rekia Boyd resigns". CNN. 18 May 2016. Archived from the original on 24 June 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  15. ^ Sweeny, Annie (18 May 2016). "Police Detective Dante Servin resigns before possible firing over fatal shooting". Chicago Tribune. Archived from the original on 20 May 2016. Retrieved 21 May 2016.
  16. ^ Masterson, Matt. "Expungement Request Denied for Ex-CPD Detective Dante Servin in Rekia Boyd Case". WTTW News. Archived from the original on 18 January 2022. Retrieved 17 January 2022.
  17. ^ Mandaro, Laura; Guynn, Jessica (May 22, 2015). "Naked protesters gather in San Francisco for 'Black Lives Matter'". USA Today. Archived from the original on May 26, 2015. Retrieved May 26, 2015.
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