Chicago Police Officer Suing Estate Of Teen He Killed For $10M

A Chicago police officer is suing the estate of a teen whom he killed, arguing that the killing caused him
"extreme emotional trauma."
Officer Robert Rialmo killed 19-year old Quintonio
LeGrier on the day after Christmas at his home,
after responding to a domestic disturbance call. A
55-year old neighbor, Bettie Jones, was also shot
and killed as she was standing nearby.
The $10M suit, which Rialmo's attorney believes
is necessary to send a message that officers are
"not targets for assaults" and "suffer damage like
anybody else," offers an account of the incident
from Rialmo's point of view, which conflicts with
that of LeGrier's father. The suit states that after
Rialmo entered the house, LeGrier came "barging"
out of the door with a bat. The suit goes on to
explain a situation of LeGrier "taking a full swing"
at Rialmo, and "missing (his head) by inches, but
getting close enough for Officer Rialmo to feel the
movement of air as the bat passed in front of his
face." The suit goes on to mention that LaGrier
continuously swung the bat at Rialmo as he
shouted orders for the teen to drop the weapon.
"Rialmo reasonably believed that if he did not use
deadly force against LeGrier, that LeGrier would
kill him," the suit states. "Officer Rialmo drew his
handgun from its holster, and starting to fire
from holster level, fired eight rounds at LeGrier
from his 9 mm Smith & Wesson handgun."
LaGrier's father, Antonio, offered his account
through a family attorney, which states that his
son was never a threat.
In a statement released by the attorney of
Rialmo, the former officer's "grieving process" is
described. "He's got this extra added burden
(with) the death of Jones," Brodsky said. "He's
going through what I would call the normal
grieving process for someone who is forced to
take a human life." The statement continued, "The
fact that LeGrier's actions ... forced Officer
Rialmo to end LeGrier's life, and to accidentally
take the innocent life of Bettie Jones, has caused,
and will continue to cause, Officer Rialmo to
suffer extreme emotional trauma."