OAK LAWN, Ill. (WGN) — The Village of Oak Lawn has settled with a Bridgeview man injured during a July 2022 arrest captured on video, which showed him pinned to the ground and punched repeatedly by area police.
Board members approved an $825,000 settlement for the now 21-year-old Hadi Abuatelah not because of merit, but because the Village’s insurance carrier pushed for it, according to a spokesperson with Oak Lawn police.
Oak Lawn Mayor Terry Vorderer, a former 30-year veteran of the police department, said that while the Village did not wish to settle, it now puts the matter behind them.
Teen recovering in hospital after video shows him beaten by Oak Lawn cops
“The reality is that we’re operating in a climate where certain elected officials are openly criticizing law enforcement and pursuing criminal charges against our officers. Given that environment, we had to consider the broader consequences and act accordingly,” he said…