Judge Dismisses Criminal Case Against Black Teen Beat Down by Calumet City Cops for Jay Walking

A Cook County judge Tuesday dismissed the criminal case against a Calumet City teenager who was charged with attacking a police officer after the teen was arrested for jaywalking last August. The dismissal came only days after it was learned city officials are seeking to suspend the officer for allegedly using excessive force against Don Pennington Jr., 16, inside the police station following Pennington's arrest. The city also settled recently a federal civil rights lawsuit brought by Pennington's family. "I feel that they should have dismissed it," Vickie Pennington, the boy's mother, said outside Judge Michael Stuttley's courtroom in Markham. "Now I feel that justice has been served. He's a good kid." Stuttley dismissed the case after prosecutors indicated they wanted to drop the two counts of battery against Pennington, a standout basketball player at Thornton Fractional North High School. The boy's parents said that it was their son who was punched repeatedly by 14-year police veteran Louis Picicco after the teen was arrested for jaywalking near the school Aug. 24. City officials said an internal investigation showed no evidence that Pennington had thrown a table at Picicco as the officer had said. City Attorney Burt Odelson said Picicco is scheduled to appear before the city's Police and Fire Commission Thursday. The city is seeking to suspend Picicco without pay until the commission reaches a final decision on disciplinary action. "Depending on what the evidence is, the commission could do a variety of things," Odelson said. "They could give him no discipline, suspend him or terminate him." Attempts to reach Picicco Tuesday were unsuccessful. [more]