City

Judge Refuses to Toss Lawsuit by Man Who Spent Decades in Prison

A federal judge Wednesday refused to dismiss a lawsuit brought against the city by a man who spent 22 years in prison as a result of a wrongful conviction for the slaying of a 6-year-old boy. Mark Maxson was convicted of the 1992 killing of Lindsey Murdock on the South Side. He was freed in 2016 after DNA linked Osborne Wade to the killing.


A Class Action Lawsuit Claims That New York’s Subway System Breaks the Law

New York’s subway system is one of the most robust in the world. It provides nearly 1.8 billion rides every year, giving the city the highest rate of public transportation usage out of any metropolitan area in the United States. But for hundreds of thousands of disabled New Yorkers, commuting through a vast majority of the city’s subway stations is simply impossible.


Disabled NYers File Class Action Lawsuit Against MTA Over Inaccessible Subway Stations

Calling the New York City subway system “the least accessible in the country,” disability advocates announced that they filed two class action lawsuits against the MTA for “excluding people with disabilities.” One lawsuit against the agency, filed in state court, claims a huge majority of the system’s stations are inaccessible to people who can’t use stairs. The other, filed in federal court, …


New Taxi Union Lawsuit Accuses City of Misleading Cabbies

A lawsuit filed by Ottawa’s taxi union exactly one year after council approved a new vehicle-for-hire bylaw accuses the city of “slanting the playing field against taxicab drivers.” “The city demonstrated a closed mind and an unwillingness to properly notify, consult and consider in an even-handed, good-faith manner, the direct consequences, and in particular, the commercial effect of its …


Chicago Faces a New Lawsuit Over Cop Accused of Framing 51 People

A man who served 23 years in prison for a murder he did not commit has filed a federal civil rights lawsuit against notorious retired Chicago Police detective Reynaldo Guevara, as well as the city of Chicago and a sitting Cook County Criminal Court judge. Armando Serrano, 44, was released from prison last July and granted a certificate of innocence from the court in November. His lawsuit, filed …


Utah Supreme Court Considers Lawsuit Over Shooting of ‘Geist’ the Dog

The state’s top court is wading into the controversy surrounding the shooting of “Geist” the dog. In arguments Monday, the Utah Supreme Court considered whether Sean Kendall should be required to post a bond before he proceeds with a $2 million lawsuit against Salt Lake City police who shot his dog. At issue is a unique Utah law that requires a bond if a person tries to sue a cop.


Lawsuit Says Miami’s Airbnb Ban Violates Fundamental Rights

Controversial new rules that effectively ban homesharing services in Miami are being challenged in court by Airbnb and five city residents who say their fundamental rights have been violated. The lawsuit, filed Friday, is a response to Miami’s crackdown on Airbnb and the city’s decision to target enforcement actions against residents who spoke out against the new rules at a public hearing last …


Lawsuit: Domestic Violence Survivor Kicked Out of Town for Calling 911 Against Violent Ex

When a domestic violence survivor calls 911 against a dangerous ex, they don’t usually assume they’ll get kicked out of town. And yet that’s what the ACLU says happened to Rosetta Watson, who used to live in the small town of Maplewood, Missouri. She called authorities four times on an abusive former boyfriend from September 2011 to February 2012, according to the federal lawsuit filed Friday.


How Corrupt and Messed Up Is Opa-Locka’s Water System? Hugely, Lawsuit Says.

For years, thousands of Opa-locka water customers have railed against irregular and inflated bills, accusing the city of running a deeply flawed utility system undermined by leaky pipes, inaccurate meters and corrupt management. Now, they have some compelling proof: A consultant retained by Opa-locka to survey the city’s 5,800 water meters has found that only half can be read at all and just …


Police Sergeant Lauded for Plane Crash Response Files Whistle-Blower Suit Against City

A Lexington police sergeant has filed a lawsuit against the city accusing his supervisors of retaliating against him after he reported alleged sexual harassment by top Lexington police officers, according to court documents. Sgt. Bryan Jared, who helped rescue the co-pilot from Comair Flight 5191 after the plane crashed and burned on takeoff from Blue Grass Airport in 2006,, filed the lawsuit …