There are more disturbing developments out of the Chicago Police Department today, as officials released video of the 2012 incident that led to the death of 38-year-old Philip Coleman and announced they are reopening an investigation into the officers’ conduct. CBS News reports:
Philip Coleman, 38, died at Roseland Community Hospital three years ago after he was taken into police custody and put in a cell. Newly released surveillance video shows officers crowding around Coleman before one of them uses a Taser stun gun on him.
The police station video shows six officers entering Coleman's cell as he lies sleeping. They wake him up. Coleman is seen standing up and soon falls down. An officer in the cell can be seen using the Taser. Another officer places Coleman in a headlock.
Police reports say officers used the Taser on Coleman when he became combative.
Video taken from another vantage point soon after shows a group of officers walking down a corridor as Coleman's limp body is dragged on the floor. Some of the officers appear to smile.
Coleman was taken to Roseland Community Hospital. Police claim he was aggressive there, too, and they used the Taser on him again. The number of times is in question.
City officials said Coleman died at the hospital of an allergic reaction to a sedative.
CBS Chicago obtained data showing the TASER was used on Coleman between seven and 16 times.
Chicago police released the video with a statement from Mayor Rahm Emanuel.
"I do not see how the manner in which Mr. Coleman was physically treated could possibly be acceptable," Emanuel said. "Something is wrong here -- either the actions of the officers who dragged Mr. Coleman, or the policies of the department. I have not received a sufficient answer on either from IPRA's former leadership, and as a result I do not consider this case to be closed or the investigation into what happened that night to be over."
The release comes after Chicago and Cook County authorities, including the police department, state’s attorney’s office, and the mayor’s office, have faced several accusations of corruption and a cover-up in the 2014 killing of Laquan McDonald.
Chicago Police Superintendent Garry McCarthy was fired last week, followed by the resignation of Chicago Independent Police Review Authority (IPRA) Chief Administrator Scott Ando in the wake of allegations against the civilian board, which investigates all officer-involved shootings and complaints. The Department of Justice has opened up an investigation into the police department, and outcries against police misconduct have been amplified as more incidents and video have been revealed.
The announcement of an investigation into Coleman’s death comes as a reversal of the IPRA recommendation not to pursue disciplinary action against the officers in the video. However, Coleman’s family was not notified of the decision to release the video, according to ABC 7 Chicago, and the timing of the abrupt decision and accompanying announcement comes at a time when the police department and review authority need to refute claims of corruption and preferential treatment of police.