{"id":18905,"date":"2021-05-25T05:49:25","date_gmt":"2021-05-25T09:49:25","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/?p=18905"},"modified":"2021-05-25T05:49:25","modified_gmt":"2021-05-25T09:49:25","slug":"illinois-police-face-lawsuit-over-drug-testing-a-toddlers-ashes","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2021\/05\/25\/illinois-police-face-lawsuit-over-drug-testing-a-toddlers-ashes\/","title":{"rendered":"Illinois police face lawsuit over drug testing a toddler&#8217;s ashes"},"content":{"rendered":"<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p><b class=\"ssrcss-hmf8ql-BoldText e5tfeyi3\">An Illinois man is suing the city of Springfield, alleging police unlawfully took an urn with his daughter&#8217;s ashes and said it tested positive for meth.<\/b><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>New body camera footage shows Dartavius Barnes handcuffed and upset as officers take the urn from his car during a traffic stop on 6 April 2020.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>In his lawsuit, Mr Barnes said police &#8220;desecrated&#8221; the ashes of his two-year-old daughter, who died in 2019.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>Police have denied wrongdoing, according to court documents.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>Local media outlets WICS and WRSP obtained the body camera footage last week.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"unordered-list-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1pzprxn-BulletListContainer e5tfeyi0\">\n<ul role=\"list\">\n<li><a class=\"ssrcss-9nsdc6-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-us-canada-52981634\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Seven solutions to US police problems<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"ssrcss-9nsdc6-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-us-canada-54285557\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Why it&#8217;s hard to charge US police over shootings<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"ssrcss-9nsdc6-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-us-canada-56834733\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Police training in US v other countries<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>Mr Barnes filed the lawsuit against the city and officers involved in October. He alleges that the officers unlawfully seized the sealed urn containing his daughter Ta&#8217;Naja&#8217;s ashes, opened it and spilled some of the ashes while testing it for drugs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>Ta&#8217;Naja died of neglect and starvation in February 2019. Her mother, Twanka Davis, was sentenced to 20 years in prison after pleading guilty to first-degree murder.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>In a court filing, lawyers for the officers said that the police &#8220;were acting within the scope of their employment and under colour of law&#8221;.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>&#8220;Defendants are entitled to qualified immunity as their conduct was justified by an objectively reasonable belief that it was lawful,&#8221; the documents said.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>Qualified immunity is a legal doctrine that protects government employees, including police, from lawsuits stemming from decisions made while on the job.<\/p>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>Mr Barnes was pulled over last year for allegedly speeding and disobeying traffic signs.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>In the body camera footage, Mr Barnes can be seen co-operating with police as he is placed in handcuffs, sitting and waiting in the back of the squad car while officers inspect his car.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>When asked by officers if he has anything in his car before they search, he says he has some weed. Nearly 80g of marijuana was found in Mr Barnes&#8217; vehicle &#8211; almost three times the legal possession limit in Illinois.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>Officers then show Mr Barnes the urn &#8211; a metallic object about the size of a finger &#8211; and say it has tested positive for meth or ecstasy.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>&#8220;No, no, no, bro that&#8217;s my daughter,&#8221; an agitated Mr Barnes says. &#8220;Give me that, bro. That&#8217;s my daughter. Please give me my daughter, bro. Put her in my hand, bro. Y&#8217;all are disrespectful, bro.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p><iframe loading=\"lazy\" title=\"Springfield Police Body Camera Footage in Incident with Dartavius Barnes - Part 2\" width=\"500\" height=\"281\" src=\"https:\/\/www.youtube.com\/embed\/VTI_sbYXnA0?feature=oembed\" frameborder=\"0\" allow=\"accelerometer; autoplay; clipboard-write; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture; web-share\" referrerpolicy=\"strict-origin-when-cross-origin\" allowfullscreen><\/iframe><\/p>\n<p class=\"title style-scope ytd-video-primary-info-renderer\"><strong>Springfield Police Body Camera Footage in Incident with Dartavius Barnes<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>An officer then shuts the car door to confer with the other officers.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>&#8220;Apparently this is his daughter&#8217;s ashes,&#8221; one of the officers says, adding that the substance inside had tested positive for meth.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>He later decides not to retest the contents of the urn, and returns the ashes to Mr Barnes&#8217; father, who was also at the scene.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>&#8220;The test, it field tested for meth,&#8221; the officer says to Mr Barnes.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>&#8220;I knew that was impossible&#8230; that&#8217;s my daughter,&#8221; Mr Barnes replies, and thanks the officer for returning the urn.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>Mr Barnes was released and given a court notice for illegal possession of cannabis.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>He is seeking compensatory damages and a trial by jury, which has been set for August 2022.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>Field drug tests are not always reliable.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>According to a list compiled by the Washington Post, these kits have mistakenly detected illegal substances in chocolate chip cookies, deodorant, billiards chalk, flour and motor oil.<\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"unordered-list-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-1pzprxn-BulletListContainer e5tfeyi0\">\n<ul role=\"list\">\n<li><a class=\"ssrcss-9nsdc6-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-us-canada-46393600\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">US woman jailed in &#8216;candy floss mix-up&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<li><a class=\"ssrcss-9nsdc6-InlineLink e1no5rhv0\" href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/uk-39328853\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">&#8216;My life was ruined by a police typo&#8217;<\/a><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"ssrcss-uf6wea-RichTextComponentWrapper e1xue1i84\" data-component=\"text-block\">\n<div class=\"ssrcss-18snukc-RichTextContainer e5tfeyi1\">\n<p>A 2016 ProPublica investigation found that cheap roadside drug tests &#8220;routinely produce false positives&#8221; that result in tens of thousands of Americans being wrongfully jailed.<\/p>\n<p>Source: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.bbc.co.uk\/news\/world-us-canada-57235332\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">bbc.co.uk<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\">An Illinois man is suing the city of Springfield, alleging police unlawfully took an urn with his daughter&#8217;s ashes and said it tested positive for meth. New body camera footage shows Dartavius Barnes handcuffed and <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/2021\/05\/25\/illinois-police-face-lawsuit-over-drug-testing-a-toddlers-ashes\/\" title=\"Illinois police face lawsuit over drug testing a toddler&#8217;s ashes\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":18906,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"pmpro_default_level":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[109,2,3],"tags":[7785,3961,3411,7790,7791],"class_list":{"0":"post-18905","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-headline","8":"category-news","9":"category-usa","10":"tag-body-cameras","11":"tag-illinois","12":"tag-policing","13":"tag-springfield","14":"tag-stop-and-search","15":"pmpro-has-access"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18905","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18905"}],"version-history":[{"count":2,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18905\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":18908,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18905\/revisions\/18908"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18906"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18905"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18905"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/worldjusticenews.com\/news\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18905"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}