kevin jackson

On 19 June 2001, Kevin Jackson was arrested for the murder of Ernest Jenkins that occurred approximately a month earlier. During the case, every witness who testified at trial alleged that they were coerced into falsely implicating Mr. Jackson for the murder. 

Vernon Clay was detained an interrogated on 2 June 2001. According to the contemporaneous, handwritten notes of Detective Forberg and his partner John Foster, Clay told police about at least four individuals who were in the vehicle where the shots originated. In the typed, supplementary reports all mention of these other suspects is omitted. Further, there is no evidence police ever attempted to locate any of these individuals. During his testimony at trial, Clay repudiated every statement police claim he made during his interrogation.

Clay was reinterrogated on 11 June 2001 during a 33 hour-long detention. During this time, Clay was not permitted to leave, taunted for being locked up on his birthday (12 June 2001), denied access to a phone, and denied access to legal counsel. Mr. Clay testified that upon release he was told to sign a piece of paper to return his property; the State contends that Mr. Clay signed a statement that was given to Detective Forberg at 2:30 am on 13 June. People v. Kevin Jackson, 2018 IL App (1st) 171773 ¶ ¶ 17-20 (“Jackson I”).

Brandi Grant was picked up and detained at the 2nd District police station for multiple days. When she was taken in, she was three months pregnant. Detective Forberg did not ask her her any questions; instead, he told her that Kevin Jackson did the shooting and showed her statements from others implicating him. Grant was told if she did not sign a statement she would be charged as an accessory, be forced to have her baby in jail, and then her child would be taken away from her. Eventually, Grant signed the statement that police wrote for her. Grant was held in custody and escorted to the grand jury where she was told immediately prior to testifying that if she did not say the same thing that was written in the statement she would not be allowed to go. The same officers who escorted Grant to the grand jury waited for her outside of it. 

Shemika Mason was detained on 12 June 2001. Detective Forberg (and Foster) picked her up while she was sitting outside of her home. They threatened her with an outstanding warrant, so she signed a statement in conformity with the officers’ version of events. Jackson I, 2018 IL App (1st) 171773 at ¶¶22-25. 

Quina Davis was held for three days after giving police a statement on the night of the shooting. During the three-day interrogation, she was told that Kevin Jackson was the shooter, she was in a relationship with him, she was flirting with Meechie, and that was the motive with the shooting. Davis offered to take a lie-detector test but was told she failed it. The detectives continued to yell at her, curse her out, call her a liar and threaten her—including saying she would be charged as an accessory to murder, she would not be allowed to go home ever again, and that her daughter would be taken away and she would not be allowed to see her again. Even after her release, she was still harassed by police to the point she had to move homes. After a month, Davis returned home and the harassment resumed. At one point, Davis had to hide from the police in the attic with her one-year-old daughter. Davis then filed a complaint with the Office of Professional Standards. (Log No. 272791)

October-November 2001: A UC alleged that Detectives Foster and Forberg were harassing her because her estranged husband was a witness to an alleged murder. 

UC alleged they constantly come to her house and other family members, illegally entering it and searching for him; called them derogatory words; and took her minor children for periods of time. (CR 274711)

  18 December 2001: Gregory Minniefield was arrested for the murder of Theopholous Ransberry. He was picked up by police at 00:11 am. He was then transported from Oak Park to a CPD station by Detectives Forberg and Foster. 

An attorney from First Defense Legal Aid (“FDLA”) arrived at or around 3:00am to meet with Minniefield, and he signed a paper indicating he did not wish to speak with the police outside the presence of his attorney. When the FDLA attorney attempted to have Detective Forberg sign it, he refused. 

After invoking his right to an attorney, Detective Foster placed a phonebook on Minniefield’s chest and started punching him, triggering Minniefield’s asthma. 

Minniefield began wheezing and threw up on the floor. Minniefield requested medical attention because he couldn’t breathe but was told he would not receive any medical attention until he told them what they need to hear. He was also slapped. He was never given any food. 

However, he was told that if he gave a statement he would be released. Minniefield filed a motion to suppress his statement.  

  26 April 2002: Maurice Patterson was arrested for allegedly murdering Robert Head weeks prior. Three witnesses allegedly witnessed the attack on Mr. Head but none of them identified Mr. Patterson as the perpetrator on the night of the murder. Subsequently, Leslie Herron was detained for three days without providing her with anything or anywhere to sleep, and depriving her of food and water. When Ms. Herron still did not identify Mr. Patterson, Detective Forberg and his partners caused her to “overhear” their discussion about the fact that he was number three in a lineup. 

At his sentencing in February 2004, Patterson professed innocence —  "I didn't kill that man. I never saw that man, never in my life" —  vowing that he would be back and asking Linn, "[A]re you going to  apologize to me?" Linn sentenced him to 30 years in prison. 

In November  2007, Patterson filed a Freedom of Information Act request and obtained  copies of the forensic reports in the case with the names blacked out.  

 The State joined in a motion to vacate Patterson's conviction, which  Judge Linn granted on November 23, 2009. 

The prosecution, however, did  not dismiss the charges until nearly a year later, on October 8, 2010  — after Patterson's legal team discovered a multitude of additional  evidence of Patterson's innocence and moved for dismissal of charges  based on due process violations. 

Patterson was granted a certificate of  innocence by the Circuit Court of Cook County on May 5, 2011. 

21 September 2004: Derrick Hatchett was arrested without a warrant for allegedly murdering Patrick Taylor a year prior. 

At the time of his arrest, Mr. Hatchet was incarcerated at Cook County Jail awaiting trial in an unrelated matter. Without a court order or mittimus, Detective Forberg and his partner had Mr. Hatchett transferred to CPD’s Station at 51st and Wentworth. At the time, Mr. Hatchett had an infection that required medical attention. 

While at the station, Mr. Hatchett was hassled, cajoled, threatened, and berated about a murder that had been committed the previous summer. Mr. Hatchett denied all knowledge and then requested an attorney. Mr. Hatchett was denied medical attention and held in a small room without a toilet for over 48 hours. He was brought before an Assistant State’s Attorney where he once again denied any involvement in the alleged murder. Mr. Hatchett was returned to the room then brought to use the toilet. Once there, two officers beat him—causing a busted lip, bruised wrist, and broken hand. When Mr. Hatchet was returned to the room, Detective Forberg and his partner told Mr. Hatchett if he did not cooperate with them he could expect more of the same. 

As a result, Mr. Hatchett gave a “statement” to ASA Michele Popielewski, who approved charges. 

A motion to suppress his statement was granted on 3 May 2006, after the court found, “that inexplicable injuries which defendant sustained while in police custody showed that the defendant’s confession was a product of coercion.” People v. Derrick Hatchett, 2015 IL App (1st) 130127 at ¶ 6, 48 N.E.3d 1223, 1226 (2015).

At trial, Tron Johnson also recanted the statement that he gave implicating Mr. Hatchett. Johnson testified that he only gave the statement after being threatened with being charged with the crime and being shown statements implicating him. 

People v. Derrick Hatchett, 922 N.E.2d 474, 479-480 (1st Dist. 2009).

(CR 301052) 

 11 October 2004: Melvin Williams was arrested for allegedly murdering Darryl Floyd under a theory of accountability. Detective Forberg and his partner forced Mr. Williams to go to the 2nd District police station by pointing a gun at his head; during his arrest, he was also burned with a cigarette. 

Once there, he was held for 72 hours. During his detention, he was beaten about the head and face by the Forberg; Mr. Williams was handcuffed and denied medical treatment and medication for his glaucoma. Mr. Williams was denied a phone call and when he complained about having chest pains, Detective Forberg began to hit him in the chest, knocking him to the floor in the interrogation room. Mr. Williams was then released, only to be re-detained where he was once more handcuffed and beaten about the head, face, and body with a flashlight. 

Forberg’s partner also him on the bridge of his nose, breaking his glasses. Mr. Williams filed a complaint with the Office of Professional standards about the abuse he suffered when he was arrested.

 (Log 301249)

  14 October 2005: Curtis Weekly was arrested for allegedly murdering Toney Clyde days prior. Mr. Weekly was held in custody for approximately three days by Detectives Forberg and Eberle. 

During that time he was physically abused during questioning, including being hit in the windpipe so that he could not breathe, being hit in the head with a phonebook, and being pushed out of his chair and held down with a foot to his throat. After this abuse, Mr. Weekly gave a “statement.” 

A motion to suppress was filed, but it was subsequently withdrawn after the State indicated they would not use the statement. 

 14 November 2005: Terrance Lofton was arrested for allegedly committing a string of armed robberies on Dunkin Donuts. One such robbery occurred on 3 November 2005. 

The victim and sole witness, Ramesh Patel, never reported the robber had a weapon—which was corroborated by the store’s security footage. Despite that, on 16 June 2006, Detective Eberle testified falsely and incompletely in obtaining the indictment for armed robbery against him. 

On 14 November 2005[1], Mr. Lofton was placed in a lineup by Detectives Forberg and Eberle with three other individuals and he was not positively identified. Accordingly, Detective Forberg pointed Mr. Lofton out to Patel and told him that Plaintiff was the offender and had an extensive criminal history, thereby coercing him into signing a false complaint naming him as the offender. 

On 16 June 2008, Mr. Lofton’s counsel met with Patel, who informed them he did not get a good look at the robber but that the detectives showed him a gun that they claimed came from Mr. Lofton’s car that was used in the robberies. Patel told them he was unsure whether Mr. Lofton was the offender but that he believed if they said Plaintiff was the culprit, they should know. 

On 4 August 2008, an assistant state’s attorney met with Patel who reiterated he could not identify the person who committed the robberies and that he only identified Mr. Lofton because the detectives told him Lofton was the offender. 

[1] About a month later, on 18 December 2005, an offender was shot and killed during an armed robbery in progress at a Dunkin Donuts. Although Forberg and Eberle were specifically provided information regarding the offense, they did not investigate or disclose it.

 Lofton v. Eberle, 14 C 898 (N.D. Ill. Feb. 5, 2015)

(CR 1075022)

  3 September 2006: Sara Bridewell was arrested for the alleged murder of Walter Chandler. Ms. Bridewell was interrogated for over 63 hours by Defendants Forberg and Eberle before being brought before a judge. 

Another witness, Sara Rhodes, was detained for over 40 hours, during this time she was verbally abused and subjected to physical duress, including deprivation of food and access to a bathroom, causing Rhodes to urinate on the floor, repeated threats, including that her children would be taken away from her, and being repeatedly told that the only way she would be let go was if she said she saw Bridewell shoot Chandler. 

During the case’s pendency, a second autopsy was conducted on the victim that produced evidence suggesting he likely committed suicide. 

In June 2008, ASA Michele Popielewski reviewed the case file and requested a meeting with then-State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez (the head of Criminal Felony, Shauna Boliker, was also present). At that meeting, it was decided that the state could not sustain its burden of proof in the case. 

As a result, the murder charges against Bridewell were dismissed. 

See Bridewell v. City of Chicago, Case No. 08 CV 4947, Memorandum and Opinion Order (N.D. Ill. Jun. 27, 2012)

(CR 1020263)

29 March 2007: Rico Clark was arrested in relation to the murder of Damion Kendrick.

Demetrius Murry was arrested and questioned on 15 February 2007 about this case. At the time, he was on parole and did not want to go to prison. He testified that Detectives Eberle and Forberg instructed him what to say. Additionally, he denied identifying any persons as being involved in the crime but only as persons he knew. Murray testified consistent with the detective’s story before the grand jury because he had been threatened and still feared being sent back to prison. People v. Rico Clark, 2012 IL App (1st) 100066-U at ¶ ¶4-9. 

Kevin Eason was arrested and questioned on the night of the incident. At trial, Eason denied telling Detective Brian Forberg that he saw four men coming out of the alley and instead claimed that he told the detective that he saw four men with the victim. Eason also denied telling the detective that two of the four men were carrying guns and that one of the men fired his gun at the victim. Instead, he claimed that he heard two different guns being fired but did not recall how many shots he heard. Eason denied telling police that he could identify the two men with guns and claimed that it was the police who told him who to identify. Eason testified that he signed a statement only because it was 1 a.m. and he was ready to leave the police station. Id. at ¶ ¶10-16.

22 December 2008: A UC filed a complaint alleging Detectives Forberg and Eberle had her car towed and that she was falsely arrested so that she could be questioned about a murder. 

On 2 August 2010, Denzel Simons was arrested for the murder the UC was interrogated about. He was acquitted on all 131 counts levied against him or they were nolle’d.

(Log No. 1022986)

22 July 2009: Donate Graham and Andrew Davis were arrested for the alleged murder of Mark Cooper and attempted murder of Rakyah Whittier. At separate, but simultaneous trials in 2015, three witnesses recanted statements that were given to Detectives Forberg and Eberle. 

McKnight denied telling Detective Forberg a person he knew as Donate [Graham] opened the gate. 

McKnight testified: “No. He [(Detective Forberg)] pointed out some pictures to me and he said these are the guys that we caught that did the (expletive).” McKnight testified Detective Forberg told him, “these are the people we are charging with killing your friend.” 

At the time, McKnight was held and coerced to give a statement he was a juvenile. 

People v. Andrew Davis and Donate Graham, 2018 IL App (1st) 152413 at ¶ ¶ 9-10, 109 N.E.3d 281, 289-290 (2018).

  2011: Caleb Charleston was arrested for the alleged murder of Patrick Stribling in 2009. However, in 2011, Detective Forberg took a statement from Ashmona Williams who was in custody at Cook County Jail at the time. 

At trial, Williams testified that, “[w]hile she was in jail on an unrelated possession of a controlled substance charge, she was approached and interviewed by an assistant state's attorney and a Chicago Police Department detective. [A]t trial, Williams repudiated her entire statement. Williams claimed at differing times during her testimony that she gave the statement because she was threatened, harassed, was scared, was told additional charges would be brought against her if she did not make a statement, and because she just wanted to get probation on her drug case.” 

People v. Charleston, 2015 IL App (1st) 130936-U, ¶¶ 12-14, 2015 WL 5139182; see also People v. Davis, 2018 IL App (1st) 152413, ¶ 35, 109 N.E.3d 281. 

30 March 2012: A UC and her boyfriend were questioned by Detectives Forberg and Eberle about a crime. During the interrogation, she was using her inhaler and began to feel sick (she had recently had her appendix removed and intestine repaired). When she began to have shortness of breath, she asked for assistance but the detectives left the room and shut the door. When no one came to assist her, feeling as if she were going to pass out, the complainant called 911. 

One of the detectives took the phone out of her hand, pulled the at off her head, pulled her hair, pulled her by the purse when it was around her neck, accused her of trying to commit suicide, and shoved a table into her, calling her a “cunt ass.” 

One of the detectives then lit up two cigarettes and blew the smoke in her face. 

When the paramedics arrived, she was taken to Roseland Hospital, then Christ Hospital and treated. 

(Log 1053015)