Federal Civil Rights Lawsuit Filed Against Elgin Police Officer, City of Elgin for Unjustified Fatal Shooting of DeCynthia Clements

Romanucci & Blandin, LLC, and Action Injury Law Group, LLC, representing the family of DeCynthia Clements, announced today the filing of a federal civil rights lawsuit against Elgin Police Officer Christopher Jensen and the City of Elgin for the unjustified and unconstitutional shooting death of the 34-year-old African American woman. Clements was fatally shot on March 12 by an Elgin, Ill., police officer after being pulled over in her vehicle on Interstate 90.

This complaint filed in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois alleges that on March 12, 2018, DeCynthia Clements stopped her vehicle in the left-hand side shoulder of westbound I-90, after driving away from a traffic stop. Clements’ vehicle had two tires blown out at the time she was approached by Elgin police officers.

The Elgin officers had every option not to use lethal force, including non-deadly force weapons and equipment such as tazers, highway barricades, squad vehicles, armor, shields, pepper balls, and rubber bullets. Despite recognizing the need for non-deadly force, according to the complaint, immediately after opening her vehicle door and taking a single step outside of the car, Clements was fatally shot three times by the officer in an excessive and unnecessary use of force.

“The footage depicting the fatal shooting of DeCynthia Clements documents a blatant and unnecessary use of deadly force by an Elgin Police Officer,” said Antonio M. Romanucci, Principal and Partner at Romanucci & Blandin, LLC. “Furthermore, the video shows that this situation did not have to escalate to such a degree that it cost a young woman her life.”

“This is yet another example of a police officer with a history of excessive force and racial profiling complaints using his position and police badge to unjustifiably shoot and kill a vulnerable, emotionally disturbed, young African American woman in a moment of crisis,” added Andrew M. Stroth, Managing Partner at Action Injury Law Group.

The Plaintiffs are seeking a judgment against the City of Elgin and Officer Jensen, awarding compensatory damages and attorney’s fees.

About Romanucci & Blandin, LLC:
Romanucci & Blandin has been rated as a leading civil trial practice law firm in Chicago concentering in police misconduct, personal injury, medical malpractice, and bullying and hazing. The attorneys at the Chicago law firm represent individuals and their families in catastrophic personal injury matters, wrongful death and workers’ compensation cases. The cases that are referred to Romanucci & Blandin involve accidents or injuries which occurred due to negligence and carelessness on the part of individuals, governmental bodies and corporations of all sizes. Since its inception more than 16 years ago, Romanucci & Blandin has secured more than $500 million in verdicts and settlements on behalf of their clients. For more information about Romanucci & Blandin, please visit www.rblaw.net or call (312) 458-1000.

About Action Injury Law Group, LLC:
Action Injury Law Group is a results-driven civil rights and social justice law firm dedicated to serving the community and representing victims of police violence. The attorneys at our Chicago-based law firm represents dozens of families across the country as it relates to unjustified and unconstitutional police shootings. Representative cases include: Andy Finch “swatting” case in Wichita, Kansas; Roshad McIntosh and Jose Nieves cases in Chicago; John Elifritz case in Portland, Oregon; the Jamarion Robinson case in Atlanta, Georgia and many others.

In 2016, Andrew M. Stroth the Managing Director of Action Injury Law Group, founded the “Truth, Hope and Justice Initiative”, a social justice movement and digital media project developed to share the stories of mothers and families across the country who have been impacted by police violence. On May 10, 2018, the “Truth, Hope and Justice Initiative” led a group of over 100 mothers to march on Capitol Hill in Washington D.C. to meet with Members of Congress and advocate for police reform and new legislation in America. For more information about Action Injury Law Group, please visit www.actioninjurylawgroup.com or call (844) 878 4529.