Guilty Verdict In Federal Case Against Chicago Police Officer Marco Proano

Chicago police Officer Marco Proano, 42, leaves the Dirksen U.S. Courthouse on Aug. 28, 2017, after a federal jury convicted Proano of using excessive force in firing 16 shots at a stolen car filled with teenagers in December 2013, wounding two. (Terrence Antonio James / Chicago Tribune)

The verdict is unprecedented.  Marco Proano has been convicted in federal court on criminal charges from an on-duty shooting.  Proano was convicted of two felony counts of using excessive force, violating the victims’ civil rights.  He faces up to 10 years in prison on each count.  His sentencing is scheduled for November 20, 2017.  Proano’s victims survived, and it has taken almost 4 years for this day to arrive.

On December 22, 2013, Proano spotted a stolen car that was filled with teens on Chicago’s Southside.  One of the teens exited the vehicle and ran.  Another attempted to get out but the door would not open because a cop cruiser had pulled up on the side.  Yet another teen in the backseat, reached over to the front driver’s side and with his hands, pressed on the gas.

Proano opened fire, and continued shooting even after the stolen car ran into a light pole and stopped.  Two of the teens were wounded.

There is dash cam video, but there was also some controversy to make it public,as reported in the below video by Roland Martin.  During a civil case filed by the teens, the court sealed the video.   It took a news publication to get the video to make it public. A lawsuit brought by the two wounded teens was settled by the City of Chicago for $360,000.

Proano’s trial began on August 21, 2017 in U.S. District Judge Gary Feinerman’s courtroom.  On August 28, 2017, the jury deliberated 4 hours and returned the verdict of guilty on both counts. 

Three Los Angeles Sheriff Deputies Convicted

In February 2011, Gabriel Carrillo came to the Los Angeles county jail to visit his brother. He had a cell phone, and mouthed off to the deputies when told that it was a misdemeanor offense to bring a cell phone into the visitation room.  Deputy Pantamitr Zunggeemoge arrested Gabriel, and took him into a break room where there is no video.  Zunggeemoge handcuffed Gabriel, and confiscated the cell phone.

Gabriel Carrillo who usually looks like this …

Gabriel Carrillo

came out of the break room looking like this.

Five deputies beat, kneed, and pepper sprayed Gabriel.  Once they were content that they had taught Gabriel a lesson, the five deputies in the room gathered to concoct a story to justify the beating. Sergeant Gonzalez, the supervisor, told them to say that Carrillo had one hand free from handcuffs so he could be fingerprinted, when he began swinging wildly with the loose handcuff using it as a weapon, giving the deputies no choice but to beat him within an inch of his life.