- Dec 14, 2000
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trib
Man who sued cops found slain
Civil rights suit active against Harvey police
By Charles Sheehan
Tribune staff reporter
Published November 26, 2006
A man who filed a civil rights lawsuit earlier this year alleging that a Harvey police commander had attempted to coerce a confession from him was found shot to death in the south suburb, police said Saturday.
The body of Iran Kee, 23, was found about 9:30 p.m. Friday in an alley near 152nd and Paulina Streets, police said. He had been shot at least eight times.
Kee was charged two years ago with murder after he was accused of holding down a Vice Lords street gang leader while another man shot him to death.
The murder charges were dropped in January when a judge threw out statements that Kee had made to police. Lawyers for Kee had argued that he made the statements only after Harvey Police Cmdr. Merritt Gentry removed his own shirt, displayed tattoos that appeared to be street gang-related and said, "You guys killed one of us, he was a Vice Lord."
Kee filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit in March against Harvey and its police department, alleging that his constitutional rights had been violated during a search of his mother's home and during the interrogation that followed.
The suit accuses Harvey police of attempting to coerce Kee into making a false confession. He eventually pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of illegally possessing a weapon.
Lawyer Kenneth Flaxman said Saturday that Kee's death does not mean the end of the lawsuit. The suit also was filed on behalf of Kee's mother, whose home was searched. At the time, police did not have a search warrant, the suit alleges.
"This is the kind of action that survives death," Flaxman said. "They broke into her home and trashed it to coerce a confession from her son."
One person was in custody in connection with Kee's death, said Tony DeBois, director of special operations for Harvey police.
"Right now it seems to be the result of an ongoing feud between two groups of individuals," DeBois said. "Basically, this guy came out on the short end. Hopefully this is the end of it."
DeBois is named in the lawsuit as one of the officers alleged to have illegally searched the home of Kee's mother in March 2004 after the Vice Lords gang leader was shot.
DeBois would not comment on the suit. Harvey officials have denied the allegations and contend in court documents that Kee's mother gave permission for officers to search her home.
Repeated attempts Saturday to reach Harvey police spokeswoman Sandra Alvarado were unsuccessful.
sheesh! somehow i doubt the cops are going to try to hard to find the "real" killer.
Man who sued cops found slain
Civil rights suit active against Harvey police
By Charles Sheehan
Tribune staff reporter
Published November 26, 2006
A man who filed a civil rights lawsuit earlier this year alleging that a Harvey police commander had attempted to coerce a confession from him was found shot to death in the south suburb, police said Saturday.
The body of Iran Kee, 23, was found about 9:30 p.m. Friday in an alley near 152nd and Paulina Streets, police said. He had been shot at least eight times.
Kee was charged two years ago with murder after he was accused of holding down a Vice Lords street gang leader while another man shot him to death.
The murder charges were dropped in January when a judge threw out statements that Kee had made to police. Lawyers for Kee had argued that he made the statements only after Harvey Police Cmdr. Merritt Gentry removed his own shirt, displayed tattoos that appeared to be street gang-related and said, "You guys killed one of us, he was a Vice Lord."
Kee filed a federal civil-rights lawsuit in March against Harvey and its police department, alleging that his constitutional rights had been violated during a search of his mother's home and during the interrogation that followed.
The suit accuses Harvey police of attempting to coerce Kee into making a false confession. He eventually pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of illegally possessing a weapon.
Lawyer Kenneth Flaxman said Saturday that Kee's death does not mean the end of the lawsuit. The suit also was filed on behalf of Kee's mother, whose home was searched. At the time, police did not have a search warrant, the suit alleges.
"This is the kind of action that survives death," Flaxman said. "They broke into her home and trashed it to coerce a confession from her son."
One person was in custody in connection with Kee's death, said Tony DeBois, director of special operations for Harvey police.
"Right now it seems to be the result of an ongoing feud between two groups of individuals," DeBois said. "Basically, this guy came out on the short end. Hopefully this is the end of it."
DeBois is named in the lawsuit as one of the officers alleged to have illegally searched the home of Kee's mother in March 2004 after the Vice Lords gang leader was shot.
DeBois would not comment on the suit. Harvey officials have denied the allegations and contend in court documents that Kee's mother gave permission for officers to search her home.
Repeated attempts Saturday to reach Harvey police spokeswoman Sandra Alvarado were unsuccessful.
sheesh! somehow i doubt the cops are going to try to hard to find the "real" killer.
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