The life of Logan Smith seems almost as extraordinary as the circumstances surrounding his death. Whether or not the result of police abuse and negligence, the courts will soon decide how and why Logan died just hours after his emergency release from the custody of Hoffman Estates police in January of 1996.
Born a genetic male though with under-developed genitalia, Logan Smith was raised as a female, but decided, at age 15 and after surgical alterations, to be treated as a man. His medical condition was such that Hoffman Estates Village Attorney Richard Williams initially, and erroneously, reported that "Smith died not from trauma, but from complications arising from a sex-change operation."
Young and black, Logan lived with his mother and brother within an encircling suburban community older and whiter. Located 29 miles northwest of Chicago's Loop and just off the Northwest Tollway, Hoffman Estates is one of the more prosperous area suburbs. Encompassing roughly 19 square miles and mostly residential, with more than three-quarters of its units owner-occupied, the village boasts a poverty level below 1% and per capita income well above the metropolitan Chicago and national average.
With flight and freedom the goal of most inner-city youth, obtaining residence in such a community might seem like the American dream incarnate. However, with a Black population less than 4% of the roughly 50,000 total, and with a lengthy history of documented racial discrimination, the pretense for Logan and his brother Brian being pulled over for a minor traffic violation is perhaps open to more rigorous speculation.
According to a lawsuit filed last month in Hoffman Estates civil court by attorney Monica McFadden on behalf of Logan's mother, Bettijean Smith, Hoffman Estates police officer Gregory A. Polous made the initial contact. On Jan. 22, 1996, at approximately 7 a.m., officer Polous approached the Smith's vehicle, already parked in front of their residence on the 1900 block of Chelmsford, and alleged that the driver, Brian, committed two offenses: Failure to signal a right turn while turning from a secluded residential street into a dead end, and failure to display a license plate, in lieu of a temporary license plate clearly displayed in complete compliance with Illinois law.
With Logan, age 23, already in the townhome by this time, officer Polous reportedly maced Brian as he removed groceries from the back seat of the automobile. Logan then returned to assist his now- blinded brother, in turn taking him inside to wash his eyes with water. The complaint further states that officer Polous, still having yet to issue any traffic citations or make any arrests, followed the two into the Smith residence without justification or permission, and without having obtained a search warrant. Logan, reminding officer Polous of the unconstitutionality of this act, was placed under arrest for interfering with an officer's exercise of duties.
At this point, responding to a call from Polous, officers Paul S. Hansen and Harry J. Moore also violated the Fourth Amendment of the U.S. Constitution and entered the Smith home without authorization, the family's lawsuit alleges. Physically seizing Logan with allegedly "great and unreasonable force," kicking him in his abdomen and spraying him with pepper gas, the three police officers arrested and successfully brought into custody Logan Smith, who, according to Bettijean, did not understand the charges. She also said he offered no physical resistance.
Although the Hoffman Estates Police Department vehemently denies the use of excessive force, immediately following this alleged altercation Logan began to complain about severe pain he was experiencing in his abdomen, specifically and repeatedly requesting medical assistance. Finally transported by ambulance from temporary detention at the Hoffman Estates Fire Department to the Hoffman Estates Medical Center Emergency Room, Logan was diagnosed with a urinary tract infection and released, without the peculiarities of Logan's medical status, or the circumstances of his arrest, being communicated to the presiding medical technicians.
Abdominal pains, maybe, but a urinary tract infection?-Following an alleged physical confrontation?-Here the unfortunate becomes the extraordinary, an extraordinary life becomes, perhaps through abuse or negligence or both, an unfortunate death.
As attorney McFadden relates, emergency room professionals chose to ignore, arresting officers knew yet remained silent about, and the Cook County Medical Examiner later discovered, Logan Smith was the lifelong sufferer of a congenital anatomical anomaly: Born with an external bladder and vestigial genitalia, subjected throughout his childhood and young adult life to a series of corrective surgical procedures, Logan had what professionals call a "cecal reservoir," an alternate bladder made from a lower portion of his intestinal tract. The complaint asserts that the conflagration with police ruptured this surrogate receptacle, spilling urine directly into Logan's abdominal cavity, precipitating the septic infection that culminated in his untimely death.
Around 10 a.m. that same morning, Logan was put into the custody of officer Mark A. Laughlin, discharged from the Medical Center and, still omplaining of acute discomfort, and having difficulty in walking and even standing upright, Logan was taken for processing and incarceration to the Hoffman Estates Police Station lockup. His verbal complaints continued, his physical status visibly deteriorated. Officer Polous, back on the scene, dismissed these attempts at communication as whining and troublemaking; other officers and even other prisoners within the lockup were aware of Logan's emphatic complaints and steadily deteriorating condition, which eventually included fever, vomiting, inability to move freely, rapid pulse, rapid and shallow breathing and extreme pain in all portions of his abdomen.
Logan remained in his cell. General police policy is reportedly to never re-admit any suspect for additional medical attention, rather, police wait for release of the suspect and thereby allay all further responsibility.
Bettijean Smith, Logan's mother, arrived to post bond for her son at approximately 1 p.m.-she was informed by officer Polous and others of Logan's then-critical condition. Upon seeing her son, she insisted that 911 be called. Mrs. Smith was reassured by a police officer that they are 911.
An ambulance finally arrived on the scene, rushing Logan back to the Hoffman Estates Medical Center, this time to their Intensive Care Unit. Diagnosed with septic shock, Logan repeatedly informed the medical professionals that he was kicked in the abdomen by his arresting officers. Logan remained in critical condition until his death at approximately 11 p.m.
Suspicious of his treatment by the Hoffman Estates Police Department, Bettijean Smith sought and eventually obtained legal counsel with Monica McFadden of McFadden Law Offices. Meanwhile, an initial autopsy and toxicology analysis were conducted by Dr. Bryan R. Mitchell, M.D., from the Office of the Cook County Medical Examiner. Particularly sensitive to the dynamics of this complex case, the official report was not released until May of 1996: In a CHICAGO TRIBUNE article of May 17, Hoffman Estates Assistant Police Chief Robert Boynton was quoted as saying "as far as officers using excessive force, we feel the post-mortem indicates that never happened." According to Dr. Mitchell, however, his report neither affirms nor denies that possibility. In terms of any overt external evidence of injury, Logan sustained a visible injury to his left knee. When seeking evidence of internal injuries, standard procedure involves linear incisions placed over the back, buttocks, thighs, calves and wrists-not the abdomen. Although able to substantiate the septic infection through urine leakage into that cavity, the official manner of death remains "indeterminate."
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