Civil Rights & Police Accountability Project Goes to Trial

Students and faculty in the Civil Rights & Police Accountability Project are taking a case to trial this week.  The federal civil rights trial opens with jury selection on Wednesday, May 12th, with opening statements scheduled for May 13th. All proceedings will be held in Judge Thomas Durkin’s courtroom (Room 1441) in the Dirksen Federal building, 210 S. Dearborn.  

The Clinic represents Travles Lane, a single dad and journalist in his mid ‘50s who worked for a small community paper on the West side of Chicago.  As he and his 12-year-old son were walking home from the library, he saw a police officer forcefully take a woman face down to the street.  After Mr. Lane began to take photographs of the incident, the officer who tackled the woman rushed him, snatched his camera, and handcuffed him in front of his son.  The officer then falsely charged him with a crime and stole his memory card with his photos to prevent Mr. Lane from publishing them.  Mr. Lane was thrown in jail, not knowing what would become of his son. 

The trial will focus on the charged violation of Mr. Lane’s First and Fourth Amendment rights.

Students are welcome to attend the opening statements and subsequent proceedings to see their colleagues in action!