Lesbian Claims Bias from Markham Police

July 31, 2002

Lesbian Claims Bias from Markham Police

BY ALEXIS MAISLEN

After having bottles thrown at her and her car hit by an 18-year-old man from Orland Park, a 21-year-old lesbian in Markham, Ill., tried to file an accident report with the Markham police department and said she was met by hostility from a lieutenant on duty.

Heide Caposieno, of 15717 S. Homan, tried to file an incident report for harassment by Leo Koch IV, 16507 Paw Paw, Orland Park, after he chased her car from Tinley Park to 152nd and Crawford and struck the back of her vehicle.

Caposieno's mother told Windy City Times that the altercation began over a rainbow triangle on Caposieno's car. Because of the car's tinted windows Koch and his friends mistook Caposieno for a man. They chased her car yelling "faggot" until they hit the car at 152nd and Crawford. She said that Koch admitted this to the Markham police officer who made the traffic crash report. Lt. White told the Caposienos that Koch was not charged with anything because he was in the military and his sergeant would only over-ride the charges.

When Caposieno attempted to file the report at the Markham police department, she refused to file a 1050 report because she did not want Koch to have access to her personal information. She was told that if she wanted to pursue assault charges she should contact the Tinley Park police. But this was not until after Lt. White harassed her with homophobic slurs when she refused to cooperate and give her information for the report, she said.

Caposieno thought proof of the harassment existed on a video surveillance camera that was on in the station but when she asked about it the police told her the camera did not tape.

The police also did not write up an accident report for the incident until a broadcast by CBS-Channel 2's Stacia Dubin forced the mayor of Markham to become involved. When Caposieno reported the accident to Koch's insurance company, they never returned her phone calls. To fix her car, she will have to go through her own insurance and pay a $500 deductible.

It is not the first time people in Markham have had problems with Lieutenant Terry White. In fact, according to Heide Caposieno's mother, her daughter received a phone call from a woman asking her if she wanted to join in on a class-action lawsuit against Lt. White and the Markham police department for mishandling other cases.

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July 31, 2002

	Lesbian Claims Bias from Markham Police BY ALEXIS MAISLEN After having bottles thrown at her and her car hit by an 18-year-old man from Orland Park, a 21-year-old lesbian in Markham, Ill., tried to file an accident report with the Markham police department and said she was met by hostility from a lieutenant on duty. Heide Caposieno, of 15717 S. Homan, tried to file an incident report for harassment by Leo Koch IV, 16507 Paw Paw, Orland Park, after he chased her car from Tinley Park to 152nd and Crawford and struck the back of her vehicle. Caposieno's mother told Windy City Times that the altercation began over a rainbow triangle on Caposieno's car. Because of the car's tinted windows Koch and his friends mistook Caposieno for a man. They chased her car yelling "faggot" until they hit the car at 152nd and Crawford. She said that Koch admitted this to the Markham police officer who made the traffic crash report. Lt. White told the Caposienos that Koch was not charged with anything because he was in the military and his sergeant would only over-ride the charges. When Caposieno attempted to file the report at the Markham police department, she refused to file a 1050 report because she did not want Koch to have access to her personal information. She was told that if she wanted to pursue assault charges she should contact the Tinley Park police. But this was not until after Lt. White harassed her with homophobic slurs when she refused to cooperate and give her information for the report, she said. Caposieno thought proof of the harassment existed on a video surveillance camera that was on in the station but when she asked about it the police told her the camera did not tape. The police also did not write up an accident report for the incident until a broadcast by CBS-Channel 2's Stacia Dubin forced the mayor of Markham to become involved. When Caposieno reported the accident to Koch's insurance company, they never returned her phone calls. To fix her car, she will have to go through her own insurance and pay a $500 deductible. It is not the first time people in Markham have had problems with Lieutenant Terry White. In fact, according to Heide Caposieno's mother, her daughter received a phone call from a woman asking her if she wanted to join in on a class-action lawsuit against Lt. White and the Markham police department for mishandling other cases.