Southwestern Illinois Police Officer
faces federal assault charges
BELLEVILLE, Ill. (AP) -- A police officer in southwestern
Illinois faces a federal lawsuit over claims he assaulted a Belleville man last
year. The Belleville News-Democrat reports (http://bit.ly/N25Dbc ) that officer
Sean Harris was named in the lawsuit filed this week. He's accused of grabbing
and shoving resident Mark Bush in June 2011 while responding to investigate
harassing phone calls that Bush said he was getting. According to the suit, the
officer refused to file a report and attacked Bush after his wife threatened to
complain to his supervisor. Harris has been charged with battery and official
misconduct.
The lawsuit filed Wednesday alleges Bush suffered seizures
after hitting his head on a stairway and a sidewalk. The police department
would not comment. Harris has been assigned to desk duty pending the outcome of
the case.