1/ While reporting on Chicago police misconduct, I met Xavier Hopkins, a musician who wrote a rap inspired in part by his run-in with police. Here’s a video I took of @itboy_X performing it. Watch it, then I'm going to tell you about what happened to him:
2/ Hopkins was 23 and a graduate student studying criminal justice. He and four friends were in town for @TasteofChi in 2009 when they were stopped by Officer Matthew O’Brien. They were handcuffed together as the officer searched Xavier’s car.
3/ The men, all college or graduate students, said the officer called them “dumbasses.” Reports show also show the officer made racial comments. Here’s a summary of the incident according to one of the men: 
4/ Hopkins was ticketed for having tinted car windows and not having a city sticker, and the men were then let go. Hopkins said he felt humiliated. Here’s what he told an investigator after he filed a complaint against the officer:
5/ The men were told the officer would be punished … but that never happened.
6/ Records show O’Brien challenged a 10-day suspension and won. The suspension was tossed out when an arbitrator ruled last year -- seven years after the incident -- that the investigation had taken too long.
7/ Here’s what Hopkins told my reporting partner, @jsmithrichards, about how he felt about the outcome, and the long process:
8/ One of the ways Hopkins hopes to get his message out about police violence is through music. So take a listen to the clip below:
9/ For our full investigation about what happens when Chicago officers grieve their punishments (and, yes, it usually works in the officers’ favor), read our joint @PropublicaIL/@Chicagotribune investigation: propub.li/2z9F5mP
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