Man sues Racine; claims alleged inhumane treatment by police
Lawsuit alleges inhumane treatment by police
A man is suing the city of Racine, alleging further physical and mental injuries while being transported from the hospital to the Racine County Jail.
RACINE, Wis. - A man is suing the City of Racine, alleging further physical and mental injuries while being transported from the hospital to the Racine County Jail.
Suing Racine
What we know:
Two lawsuits are in play; one in Racine County, demanding public records be turned over, and one in federal court, alleging that the man's civil rights were violated and seeking millions in damages.
The lawsuits name Adam Locke as the plaintiff. Attorney B’Ivory LaMarr announced the lawsuits on Wednesday, March 26.
The first lawsuit
The backstory:
The first lawsuit stems from a July 14, 2024, incident in which Racine police officers removed Adam Locke from Froedtert Hospital, where he was recovering from multiple surgeries following a car crash on June 30, and put him in a police van. Temperatures reached the upper 80s, with a peak heat index of 95 degrees.
The van allegedly had no ventilation, and Locke repeatedly told police he could not breathe. After a few minutes of driving, the lawsuit states he lost consciousness.
According to the lawsuit, the van stopped in West Allis and West Allis Fire Department paramedics arrived and urged officers to take Locke back to the hospital, but they insisted that he be taken to jail.
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Locke returned to Froedtert Hospital, where the lawsuit states he was admitted for an additional five days. During his hospitalization, doctors confirmed that his condition had deteriorated and led to additional medical complications.
LaMarr said his client was "tortured" by the hours of time his client spent in the transport in the rising heat on the side of the road, partially clothed and in pain as his condition worsened.
The federal lawsuit alleges the city and police department were indifferent and negligent regarding Locke's medical needs and officers didn't have proper training.
What they're saying:
"These officers knew exactly how hot it was. They knew Mr. Locke was in no condition to withstand the heat, and yet, they did nothing," LaMarr said in a press release. "Instead of providing care, they treated him like cargo, left him to suffer in unbearable heat, and ignored his repeated cries for help."
"I think they were more concerned getting me to the jail, instead of helping me," Locke said.
Second lawsuit
Dig deeper:
LaMarr filed a separate lawsuit— a writ of mandamus — alleging that the city unlawfully refused to release records identifying the officers involved, as well as reports and statements that could "shed light on the incident."
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The lawsuit seeks to compel the City of Racine to release all records related to what happened.
What's next:
They're seeking $5 million in damages.
FOX6 News reached out to the Racine Police Department and the Racine city attorney, but has not heard back.
The Source: Attorney B’Ivory LaMarr and the Wisconsin Circuit Court contributed to this report.