Woman Sues Cops for Allegedly Smashing Her Face Into a Jail Cell Bench

Cassandra Feuerstein says the bones in her face were shattered in the assault

  • Share
  • Read Later

Like TIME on Facebook for more breaking news and current events from around the globe!

A Chicago woman has sued the Skokie, Illinois, police department for excessive force after an officer allegedly threw her head first into a jail cell bench, smashing several facial bones in the process.

A surveillance video shows officer Michael Hart standing calmly with Cassandra Feuerstein, 47, before leading her out of her jail cell, then throwing her back into the cell several seconds later. The 110-pound woman says several bones in her face were broken when her face slammed into the cement bench in the cell, NBC Chicago reports. The alleged incident took place in March of this year, after Feuerstein had been arrested for driving under the influence when officers found her sleeping in her car by the side of the road.

The Skokie Police Department declined to comment on the lawsuit.

[NBC Chicago]