Lawrence Crosby was brutally beaten and arrested by police in 2015 after being accused of stealing his own car
Evanston, IL — Lawrence Crosby, an engineering graduate student who was violently arrested and beaten by police and falsely accused of stealing a car he actually owns, recently won a $1.25 million settlement from his lawsuit against the Evanston Police Department.
After brutally beating Crosby, police officers discovered that the car in question was actually owned by Crosby. Apparently, someone mistakenly thought Crosby was breaking into the car and called 911.
Most recently, now-28-year old Crosby has spoken out for the first time since the incident about its lasting effects.
“It’s not easy for me to have to be put back into that situation and have to relieve it again. At that moment in time, I did not know if I would make it to the end of the night,” Crosby told Fox 13. “I’ve had to deal with post-traumatic stress and having fear of the police, honestly”
Crosby was accused of charges including resisting arrest. Following the incident, Evanston Police Department reportedly even posted a video defending the officer conduct, which is now deleted.
Since being found not guilty, Crosby filed a civil suit against the city and officers.
“The settlement was for $1.25 million, and I consider that a fair and just compensation for the experience that I went through,” Crosby said.
Despite the settlement, no officers were disciplined and offered an apology to Crosby. He just now hopes to work with law enforcement, academics, and other organizations to discuss the impact of implicit bias and stereotypes in our lives and how to end it.
“We’re not looking for apologies (now). We’re looking for change,” Crosby’s lawyer, Steven Yonover, said.
Meanwhile, there has been no admission of liability in the settlement yet, according to an attorney for the City of Evanston. It is pending approval by the city council and is scheduled for January 28th.
Watch the news coverage below:
