Northwestern legal clinic to announce developments in Irene Chavez case

Northwestern Pritzker School of Law’s Community Justice and Civil Rights Clinic and Chicago-based Action Injury Law Group will hold a joint press conference to announce developments in the Irene Chavez case.

The press conference will be held tomorrow, Tuesday, Feb. 22 at 11 a.m. at Northwestern Law, 375 E. Chicago Ave., 8th floor, in Chicago.

Chicago’s Civilian Office of Police Accountability recently released video linked to the death of Chavez, who died while in Chicago police custody last December. 

“The devastating loss of Irene Chavez’ life resulted from CPD’s officers refusal to accommodate her repeated requests for help — both at the point of her arrest and once she was in custody,” said Sheila Bedi, clinical professor of law and director of Northwestern Law’s Community Justice and Civil Rights Clinic. 

“Unfortunately, Irene joins a long list of people who have lost their lives because of CPD’s systemic failures to meet the needs of people living with mental illness. Justice for Irene will require a complete overhaul of the way CPD polices people in crisis —beginning with robust alternatives to arrest.” 

Bedi, the family of Chavez, civil rights attorney Andrew M. Stroth, Kara Crutcher, community leaders and activists will be in attendance. 

“On December 18, 2021, everything changed for the Chavez family. Their beloved daughter, Irene Chavez, a 33-year-old Afro Latin queer woman, experiencing a mental health crisis, was taken by Chicago police officers and died while in their custody and care,” said Stroth, civil rights attorney and the managing partner of Action Injury Law Group, a Chicago-based, national civil rights law firm. “The family is seeking truth and accountability for the unjustified actions of these officers and the trauma and harm they caused to Irene and the Chavez family.”  

Additional media contacts:
Sheila Bedi: sheila.bedi@law.northwestern.edu
Andrew M. Stroth: astroth@actioninjurylawgroup.com