The Timeline: The Alteriq Pleasant Story Pt.4

On July 19, 2022, Alteriq Pleasant was arrested for failure to appear in court for an assault charge against a police officer, an incident that occurred after he had been harassed and targeted by Chicago police officers. During his arrest, Mr. Pleasant was cooperative and respectful, as captured by the body-cam footage. However, after his arrest, he suffered physical injuries, including burns to his arms, legs, and knees, and lacerations. According to Cook County Jail records, Mr. Pleasant was not given any medical treatment during his detention.

Mr. Pleasant was seen in court on July 20 and 21, 2022, where he changed his testimony regarding the assault by CPD from not guilty to guilty. On July 21, 2022, Mr. Pleasant was found unresponsive in his cell at Cook County Jail. He was without oxygen for 40 minutes prior to the arrival of paramedics. He was then transferred to Mt. Sinai Hospital, where he was pronounced dead on August 2, 2022.

Despite having his mother's current contact information on him, Ms. Vickki Willis was not notified of any of these events until August 2, 2022, when Mr. Pleasant's father contacted her to inform her of her son's death. Mt. Sinai only contacted Ms. Willis to request permission to harvest his organs after he no longer had brain function. Investigator Adam Murphy, who had Mr. Pleasant's mother's contact information, claimed that they did not have it at the time of Mr. Pleasant's arrest.

Ms. Willis tried for three weeks to get Mr. Pleasant's belongings from the Chicago Police Department, but she was told by Sgt. Burke and Sgt. Riordan to get a court subpoena to "make them give" her son's belongings to her. Investigator Murphy was supposed to help Ms. Willis get her son's belongings returned, but he did not.

Mr. Pleasant had been suffering from seizures for which he had sought treatment at multiple medical facilities, as documented in his mother's records. His death in custody was preceded by physical injuries that were not treated, raising concerns about the conditions of his detention. Furthermore, Ms. Willis was not informed of her son's death until almost two weeks after the fact, and she was denied access to his belongings without a court subpoena.

The case highlights the need for improved oversight and accountability in law enforcement, particularly regarding police brutality and the treatment of those in police custody. Mr. Pleasant's death in custody and the circumstances surrounding it are deeply troubling, and it underscores the urgent need for reform in the criminal justice system.