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It took three long years, but 75 year old Arthur Lovi finally had his day in court and the police department of Arlington Heights, Illinois were on the losing end of an $80,000 ruling.
The story began back in 2012 when Lovi was diagnosed with high blood pressure linked to stress. His doctor suggested he talk to a therapist to try a lower his blood pressure.
Lovi, who was a helicopter pilot for the Air Force during the ’60s talked to the therapist about his recent losses that he was dealing with.
From the Daily Herald:
Lovi told her about the loss that had been all around him the past few years: his mother, a 3-year-old granddaughter who drowned, a son-in-law lost to a drug overdose, and worst of all, his wife of 33 years.
Cindy had died nine years ago, but to Lovi it was still raw. She was always tired and bruised easily. When he finally persuaded her to get checked out, she was told she had a cold, probably caught from one of her students at Forest View Alternative Center.
Unsatisfied, the next day Lovi made her see another doctor who gave her the correct, but heartbreaking, diagnosis: leukemia. Cindy died a few weeks later. She was 53.
Lovi told the therapist about Cindy’s death and his bitterness over the incorrect diagnosis.
Apparently, being a veteran who is grieving over the loss of loved ones is enough for some gun hating therapist to order in some jackbooted thugs to ransack and steal Lovi’s entire firearm collection.
The therapist would later admit that she didn’t think Lovi was a danger to anyone but was “just doing her job” when she reported him to the police.
Right.
What did this therapists reckless actions lead to?
From Freedom Outpost:
Following his return home that day, Lovi got a call from the Arlington Heights Police Department and they asked if he had weapons in his home. According to Lovi, who is retired and lives with his son, he told them that he did have three antique firearms, including a double barreled musket that was over 100 years old. Apparently Lovi decorates his home with old antiques, including old teakettles, ancient telephones and kerosene lamps. He claims he has never fired any of the weapons and doesn’t even know how to load the musket.
Mind you, Lovi has all the legal (if unconstitutional) licenses and permits for the weapons.
Even so, at 11pm 5 police officers raided his home and seized his antique firearm collection. The cops of this Chicago suburb would spin a story in which Lovi just willingly handed over his antique firearms without a WARRANT, PROBABLE CAUSE or anything that would satisfy the 4th Amendment.
It would take over 2 months and multiple attempts for Lovi to get his firearms back, one of which was damaged and needed an expensive repair.
What was Lovi’s side of the incident?
From the lawsuit that Lovi would file:
The lawsuit claims police officers asked Lovi questions about his wife. Lovi became upset and told police officers that he did not want to talk about his wife. The police officers radioed for an ambulance to the scene.
The officers told Lovi that he needed to get in the ambulance and go to the hospital. Lovi told police that he did not want to go to the hospital.
The officers told Lovi that if he did not go into the ambulance willingly, they would handcuff him and physically put him in the ambulance. Lovi was transported to Northwest Community Hospital, where he was evaluated and it was determined that he did not need to be committed as there were no signs that he would be a harm to himself or others. Lovi was released from the hospital the same day.
So lets see, on top of the theft, the police are also guilty of abuse of power, elder abuse and threatening false arrest.
These thugs with badges are the ones who deserve to be locked up.
According to the lawsuit, Lovi suffered damages including loss of property and pecuniary damages include medical expenses, attorneys’ fees, and property damage. It also claims “Unreasonable Seizure of Property, Failure to Intervene with police officers’ indifference to Lovi’s right to be free from unreasonable seizures of property, Unreasonable Search of Home, Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress, Willful and Wanton Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress in the scope of employment, and that the Village of Arlington Heights is liable for any judgments for compensatory damages arising out of the police officers’ actions.”
Finally, good news for Arthur Lovi.
Earlier this week the judgment in this lawsuit was given.
The jury found Arlington Heights police Sgt. Charles Buczynski guilty of illegal entry into a home and unreasonable seizure of property for leading the charge into Lovi’s home. The jury ordered him to pay Lovi $45,000, Kiss said.
The jury found Arlington Heights Cmdr. Richard Gausselin guilty of unreasonable seizure of person for coercing Lovi into the ambulance two days later, and ordered him to pay $25,000.
An additional $10,000 was awarded to Lovi to pay his medical bills and to fix damage done to his antique guns during their seizure, Kiss said.
Three other officers named in the suit were not found guilty.
It seems like we had two bad cops and three others who just stood around and let the constitution be violated in front of them. A banner day for Arlington Heights police.
What I like most about this story is that the jury has ordered the INDIVIDUAL officers to pay Arthur Lovi. Not the village of Arlington Heights taxpayers which is how it should be.
On top of paying for their crimes financially, Sgt. Buczynski and Cmdr Gausselin should be fired from their positions. How can two officers, found guilty of constitutional violations against a senior citizen ever be credible again? The answer is they cannot and I hope to hear of their imminent termination soon.
Of course, the “officers” are going to appeal the verdict, because how DARE they be held accountable for their actions. They still hold the blue line that they acted appropriately and said their civil rights violating actions were “pursuant to protocol.”
Really? Warrant-less searches and brow beating an old man into an ambulance is protocol for Arlington Heights PD is it? Hmmmm.
Arthur Lovi’s message makes a lot more sense:
“It’s important that the public know the police don’t have a right to come in your house without a warrant. They don’t have a right to bully you.”
Bullies with badges and thugs who hide behind the shield in order to violate the constitution have no right to be cops. I hope more people like Arthur Lovi have the courage to stand up to corrupt cops and shine the light of truth on the crime that festers under the thin blue line.
Read more at http://bulletsfirst.net/2015/04/25/after-3-years-gun-owning-senior-wins-lawsuit-against-crooked-cops-who-stole-his-firearms/#Kskg72gfurSSCRvg.99
“The therapist would later admit that she didn’t think Lovi was a danger to anyone but was “just doing her job” when she reported him to the police.”
That’s o.k., b#tch. We’ll just be “just doing OUR job” when we hang your commie @ss.
Nothing personal, just good ‘business’.
Well, maybe it IS personal.