Even though Wayne Watts is fighting leukemia and is tethered to a dialysis machine three days a week, he frequently makes the 20-minute drive from his home in Hazel Crest to Lincoln Cemetery in Blue Island, to visit the grave of his nephew, Stephon. “I stand there and I talk to him,” says Watts. “I just tell him that we’re still here fighting for you.”
After the incident the two officers were put on paid administrative leave. The family filed a civil suit against Calumet City, Coffey, and Hynek in April 2012. A Cook County circuit court judge granted the defense’s motion for summary judgment, ruling that it was impossible for the facts to be presented in a light that would be favorable to the Watts family.
Lavin used this same turn of phrase to justify the lower court’s ruling.
Peraica insists that Hauri’s words were taken out of context. “The judges cherry-picked the facts from a four-hour deposition that Mr. Hauri gave, and found what they wanted to find to justify their decision,” he says.
Menclewicz insists the case is no longer on people’s minds. “I think it’s been put to rest,” he says. “No one’s talking about it anymore. In view of what’s going on in the world, what happened here years ago is irrelevant.” Hynek and Coffey are back on patrol.
“It’s hard but I’m trying to hang on,” he says, “because I want those policemen to testify in open court so everyone can hear what they did and how they did it. It was so cold what they did. We’ve got to get this out.” v
