CHICAGO — Attorney Yao Dinizulu of the Dinizulu Law Group, Ltd. filed a hate crime complaint on May 1 on behalf of plaintiff Falon Carter, 30, who alleges that an apartment security guard beat her with a steel flashlight and used derogatory terms to her relating to her sexual orientation.
The complaint states that security guard, Stanton Robinson, had repeatedly harassed Carter in the past because of her sexual orientation. The Illinois Hate Crime Act, 720 ILCS, states that a “person commits a hate crime when he/she commits a crime based on the actual or perceive: race, color, creed, religion, ancestry, national origin, sexual orientation, physical or mental disability, or gender … .”
According to reports, on May 12, 2011, Carter was visiting her girlfriend at Parkway Garden Apartments in Chicago when she was approached by Robinson. After he attacked her, Robinson, who is 5’8″ and weighs between 265-285, told Carter, who is 5’3″ and weighs approximately 110 lbs., that she “looked like a boy.” Although Robinson already knew that Carter was a frequent visitor at Parkway Garden Apartments, he asked if she lived there and shined a steel flashlight in her face.
According to witnesses, Carter asked Robinson not to shine the flashlight in her eyes. Robinson then proceeded to strike her in her face with his flashlight. As a result, her face became bloody and swollen. Carter suffered a fractured bone in her face at the base of her skull. She had additional injuries to her right hand, which she used to protect herself. She also reportedly suffered from emotional and psychological distress from the incident.
According to victims, Robinson has a history of violence and excessive force. He was previously a Cook County Department of Corrections Officer, and was discharged for using excessive force on inmates. He was then hired by Parkway Garden Apartments.
The complaint, which was filed at the Richard J. Daley Center, names Robinson, as well as Parkway Gardens Preservation, L.P. and Related Management Company L.P. as defendants.