The day after Christmas 2015, Chicago Police Department officer Robert Rialmo shot and killed 19-year-old Quintonio LaGrier and his neighbor Bettie Jones after being called on dispatch for a domestic dispute.
LaGrier reportedly had a baseball bat and was endangering his father Antonio LaGrier, as well as Officer Rialmo.
Even after the LaGrier family sued for damages and rallies broke out in Chicago, Rialmo has not been discharged from the police department.
He has been moved to a more clerical office position, The Atlantic reported.
Rialmo has also decided to sue the LaGrier estate, a move that is misguided on many levels.
The officer filed a counterclaim to the original lawsuit Feb. 5, swapping his name with Antonio LaGrier’s for the plaintiff. He is asking for more than $10 million.
The ground Rialmo stands on is even shakier than one might think.
His basis for the suit are LaGrier assaulted him and intentionally inflicted emotional distress upon him.
It may be true LaGrier charged at the officer with a baseball bat in a way that constituted assault, but this allegation does not match up with the original lawsuit against Rialmo filed in January.
The mere threat of an action pales in comparison with an action that proved to be fatal.
Additionally, this supposed assault is rather difficult to prove since Rialmo shot the only two witnesses.
As far as emotional distress goes, Rialmo’s argument has little weight.
The source of Rialmo’s emotional distress was apparently feeling that he was forced to use deadly measures against LaGrier.
When someone signs on to the police force, they accept a position that is, by nature, met with emotional and physical stress.
Police officers know and understand this risk.
However, they are trained to handle it, as well as to diffuse violent situations instead of reaching for their guns.
In the text of his counterclaim, Rialmo says that LaGrier “knew” his actions “were extreme and outrageous.”
LaGrier also “knew” his conduct was atrocious and utterly intolerable in a civilized community.
Rialmo calls LaGrier’s actions “willful” and “malicious.”
It seems hard to believe college-aged Quintonio LaGrier consciously decided he should ostensibly get himself killed with the intention of inflicting emotional distress on Rialmo.
The validity of his legal arguments aside, Rialmo’s counterclaim is simply unnecessary.
He was not removed from the department completely, nor was he charged with murder.
He’s not dead, which is more than what can be said for LaGrier.
This lawsuit against the LaGrier estate seems to be adding salt to the family’s wounds at worst and a desperate plea for money at best.
meickhof@indiana.edu
@maggie_eickhoff
