Chicago to Pay Half-Million to Family of Autistic Teen

Chicago - A City Council committee proposed settling a lawsuit filed in 2009 by paying over $500,000 in the police clubbing of an autistic teen. Oscar Guzman, 16 at the time, was diagnosed with autism at the age of 4 and has the mental capacity of a 5th grader.

While taking a break from working at his family's restaurant in the Little Village area, he was outside observing pigeons and the scenery when a patrol car with two officers pulled up. They began to question the young man but became suspicious when he didn't answer them. His sister explained to the officers his disability but the police chased after him when he ran inside the store.

Oscar tried to explain to the officers his disability but was frightened when one of the officers reached for the baton on his belt. He struck the autistic teen once on the head.

Oscar Guzman required eight staples after an officer stuck him. The incident was witnessed by Guzman's family who were trying to explain Guzman is autistic.

After being struck, Guzman fell to the ground as blood began to pour from his injury. Knowing no other act but complete submission, he cried out, "I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I submit. I submit."

The Independent Police Review Authority announced an investigation into the event and interviewed his family members.

Ironically, the 2009 incident occurred the same week an award-winning Crisis Intervention Team program was promoted since over 1,000 of CPD's 13,500 officers completed the 40-hour training since 2004. The program trains police officials to notice signs of mental illnesses/disadvantages. Officer Jerald Nelson, a member of the Crisis Intervention Team, expressed the absolute importance of noticing someone with autism saying, "To recognize it, that's number one."

Nelson, who has a 21-year-old son with autism, says some of the characteristics as observed in Guzman's case were signs that the officers could have noticed. Included in those sings are avoiding eye contact and questions.

Not knowing such signs can easily make the situation worse as it did in the case of Oscar Guzman. The family has called for the still unidentified officers to be fired.

Worried that Guzman is permanently scarred by the event, his older sister believes that all officers should be trained prior to becoming patrol officers.

Guzman's drawing depicting his beating.

If the proposed $525,000 dollar settlement is approved, the money will go towards Oscar Guzman's condition and assist his sister who was threatened with arrest for questioning the officers.

The officers responsible for the attack say they saw Oscar reach for his waistband, a sign of possibly having a weapon, which they felt justified such violent force. The officer who struck Oscar claims he wa pushed in the chest after taking out his baton and inadvertently struck the teenager.