CHICAGO – A 61-year-old Canadian man who was arrested after a scuffle with an off-duty Chicago police officer is suing the officer.
Terence Clarke of Baden, Ontario alleges in the excessive force lawsuit filed Wednesday that Officer Khaled Shaar instigated the 2015 fight and then conspired with other officers to cover it up.
In police reports, Shaar says he was working security at Portillo’s restaurant and only struck Clarke after Clarke hit him and swung a chair at him. But in a cellphone video – one of hundreds of videos of police incidents the city released in June – Shaar is seen suddenly grabbing Clarke and punching him.
Clarke was charged with felony aggravated battery of a police officer. Attorney Kevin O’Reilly says Clarke was found guilty of misdemeanour disorderly conduct.