In February 2019, Anjanette Young faced a life-altering experience after a group of male officers entered her home.
Young had just finished her shift at the hospital and had gone into her bathroom to undress. She then heard loud knocks on her door before officers broke the door down using a battering ram.
Almost three years on, Young is fighting for justice.
Young filed a Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) requesting the video to show the public what happened to her that day. Chicago Police denied her request, but a court-ordered them to hand over the footage — and she was in disbelief.
As we all were.
Despite being naked, officers left her standing naked before eventually attempting to cover up her nude body. Young was visibly upset and repeatedly told officers that they had the wrong address.
Young and her legal team have been trying to get a settlement from the city quietly. Since the incident, she has been diagnosed with PTSD and depression. In an interview with The New York Times, she shared that sirens and loud noises give her panic attacks. She takes medication to try and keep it together.
The city has rejected a $1 million settlement. According to The Times, she was offered “$0 to resolve this matter.”
Young says she’s owed justice. And she’s not wrong.
“I feel like the city continues to view me as invisible and not one who deserves respect or resolution or fairness,” Young said. “You have changed my life. You have harmed me.”
She has also been working hard to make changes to the legal system based on her traumatizing encounter.
Young, alongside five African American Chicago alderwomen, has drafted the Anjanette Young Ordinance to grant additional protections to those served with warrants.
The city has come under scrutiny for its handling of the case.
Last year, Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot admitted that she knew about the now-viral botched raid after first denying any knowledge of the fiasco.
“There’s a lot of trust that’s been breached, and I know there’s a lot of trust in me that’s been breached, and I have a responsibility to build back that trust,” she said at the time, per The Chicago Tribune.
The remarks were a complete 180 from her remarks just two days ago. Lightfoot denied that her administration withheld footage of the raid from Young. Lightfoot eventually confirmed that her administration had rejected an open records request submitted by Young for the footage.
