CHICAGO — Anjanette Young will collect a $2.9 million settlement for the botched raid Chicago police carried out on her home when they acted on a bad tip and made her stand naked and handcuffed as she repeatedly insisted they had the wrong place.
The City Council unanimously approved the deal Wednesday, closing the contentious negotiations that turned into an embarrassment for Mayor Lori Lightfoot after city lawyers tried to dismiss the case and said Young’s lawsuit “failed to establish a legal wrong.”
North Side Alderwoman Maria Hadden, 49th, commended Young for coming forward to stand up for herself and for what’s right.
Aldermen need to take responsibility for wrongdoing like what occurred in the Young case and “fix the system, fix the process and fix the policies so that we don’t keep on making the same mistakes,” Hadden said.
“Ms. Young wasn’t the first, and I pray to God she’s the last,” said Alderwoman Jeanette Taylor, 20th.
Searching for a man with an illegal firearm they were told lived in the apartment, 13 police raided Young’s home in February 2019, restraining her while she was getting ready for bed and forcing her to stand handcuffed and naked as officers searched her residence.
City corporation counsel Celia Meza told aldermen this week officers would testify Young was completely naked for 16 seconds before first a jacket, then a blanket were draped around her shoulders.
It was 10 minutes before officers allowed Young to head to her bedroom to get dressed. If the case went to trial, Meza said a jury might award her $13 million — $1 million for each officer in the apartment — or $16 million — $1 million for each second she was completely undressed.
———
