Officer Convicted of Criminal Offense for Strip Search
An Illinois police officer found himself in legal trouble after a strip search was performed on the side of the road during a traffic stop. Although he was originally charged with a felony aggravated battery, he was convicted of misdemeanor aggravated assault, a criminal offense that resulted in one year of court supervision. The incident was captured by the dashboard camera in his patrol car.
The officer pulled over a man after apparently receiving a tip regarding a possible drug delivery. According to the report, the officer examined the buttocks and genital area of the man. It is not clear if the suspect complained to Illinois authorities, but the strip search was discovered during a review of the officer’s dash cam video.
Though he was charged with a felony, he was convicted of a misdemeanor, which carries significantly lesser penalties. Had he been convicted of the felony accusations, he may have been sentenced to a state prison term. This alone underscores the importance of relying upon experienced legal counsel when facing criminal charges of any kind.
The alternatives available to a defendant depend on the unique details of an individual case. An evaluation of the case can determine what options may be available and which defense approach may be optimal. When someone is charged with a criminal offense in Illinois, he or she is guaranteed a number of important legal rights, not the least of which is that no conviction may occur unless prosecutors are actually able to establish each and every element of a criminal charge by proof that is found to be beyond a reasonable doubt.
Source: fox2now.com, “Trooper gets court supervision for roadside strip search“, Oct. 6, 2015
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