$80 Million Verdict in Chicago: What It Means for Police Policies?

Chicago faces an $80 million payout in a tragic police chase case, raising questions about law enforcement policies and public safety.

At a Glance

Chicago ordered to pay $79.85 million to the family of Da’Karia Spicer, killed in a 2020 police chase.
The crash occurred while the family was en route to pick up a computer for remote learning during the national health crisis.
Chicago Police pursued a Mercedes-Benz that used an alley as a thru street, leading to a fatal collision.
The verdict could nearly match Chicago’s annual budget for police misconduct lawsuits.
The incident occurred weeks after the Chicago Police Department revised its vehicle pursuit policy.

Tragic Outcome of Police Pursuit

A Cook County jury has ordered the city of Chicago to pay $79.85 million to the family of Da’Karia Spicer, a 10-year-old girl who lost her life in a police chase gone wrong in 2020. The incident, which occurred on September 2, 2020, near 80th and Halsted streets, has brought the city’s police pursuit policies under intense scrutiny. Da’Karia’s father and 5-year-old brother were also injured in the crash, which happened as the family was on their way to collect a computer for remote learning during the pandemic.

The tragedy unfolded when Chicago Police pursued a Mercedes-Benz that had used an alley as a thru street. The chase resulted in a collision with the Spicers’ Honda, leading to devastating consequences. The lawsuit, filed by the Spicer family and represented by Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard, has shed light on the risks associated with high-speed police pursuits in urban areas.

The City of Chicago will pay nearly $80 million to a Chicago family for the death of their 10-year-old daughter. https://t.co/DsijVEWOdO

— FOX 32 News (@fox32news) December 12, 2024

Financial Implications for Chicago

The $79.85 million verdict could have significant financial repercussions for the city of Chicago. A spokesperson for the city’s Department of Law stated they are “reviewing the verdict,” highlighting the gravity of the situation. This payout could match the city’s annual budget allocated for police misconduct lawsuits, raising concerns about the fiscal impact on taxpayers.

“The impact of this incident was catastrophic, and the Spicer family lost a bright, talented and smart 10-year-old girl who was the absolute light of their lives” – Salvi, Schostok & Pritchard Managing Partner Patrick A. Salvi II

It’s worth noting that Chicago taxpayers have already spent over $73 million from January 2019 to August 2024 on lawsuits related to police pursuits. This latest verdict underscores the need for a thorough review of police chase policies and their potential consequences on public safety and city finances.

Policy Changes and Ongoing Debate

The incident occurred just weeks after the Chicago Police Department had revised its vehicle pursuit policy. The updated guidelines aimed to prioritize public safety and allowed officers to terminate pursuits without facing disciplinary action. Additionally, the revised policy mandated that marked police cars lead pursuits with activated lights and sirens.

Despite these changes, the tragic outcome of the Spicer case raises questions about the effectiveness of the new policy and whether further reforms are necessary. Video evidence from the police car involved in the chase showed officers predicting a crash, with one officer exclaiming “boom” upon collision, suggesting a level of awareness of the potential dangers.

Legal Proceedings and Accountability

In a significant development, city lawyers acknowledged that the police pursuit caused Da’Karia’s death, contradicting former Mayor Lori Lightfoot’s earlier statements. This admission of liability left the jury to decide on the appropriate financial compensation for the Spicer family. While city attorneys suggested a range of $12 million to $15 million, the jury ultimately decided on the much larger sum of $79.8 million.

The lawsuit claimed that police had no reasonable grounds to chase the Mercedes, which had only cut through an alley. This argument raises important questions about the threshold for initiating high-speed pursuits and the balance between law enforcement objectives and public safety.

Conclusion

The tragic case of Da’Karia Spicer serves as a somber reminder of the potential consequences of police pursuits in urban environments. As Chicago grapples with the financial and policy implications of this verdict, it is clear that a broader conversation about law enforcement strategies and their impact on public safety is necessary. The outcome of this case may well influence future police pursuit policies not just in Chicago, but across the nation, as cities strive to balance effective law enforcement with the paramount need to protect innocent lives.