Sexual assault lawsuit against Chicago's former top cop dismissed

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Lawsuit against former Chicago top cop Eddie Johnson dismissed

The sexual assault lawsuit against Chicagos former police superintendent has been thrown out. A federal judge dismissed the suit against Eddie Johnson Wednesday afternoon.

A federal judge has dismissed the sexual assault lawsuit against Eddie Johnson, Chicago's former top cop.

Former officer Cynthia Donald accused Johnson of repeatedly raping her, but the lawsuit was thrown out by a federal judge on Wednesday.

According to the Chicago Tribune, the judge ruled that the evidence showed Donald welcomed and was a willing participant in a relationship with Johnson.

Donald’s attorney informed the paper that they plan to appeal the ruling.

Donald, who was assigned to Johnson’s security detail, alleged in the lawsuit that she was subjected to "shockingly violent, abusive, and harassing conduct," including forcibly kissing her and forcing her to perform sexual acts.

The lawsuit also claimed that Johnson texted nude photos of himself to Donald and ordered her to accompany him on the evening of Oct. 16, 2019, when he allegedly went out drinking and was later found asleep behind the wheel in Bridgeport by officers.

Furthermore, the lawsuit accused the city and then-Mayor Lori Lightfoot, who fired Johnson for allegedly lying about that night, of exacerbating the hostile work environment by ordering Johnson to relocate Donald away from CPD Headquarters.

The alleged sexual assault by Johnson purportedly occurred between 2016 and 2019, according to the lawsuit.

Donald sought damages for her psychological injuries and emotional distress before the lawsuit was dismissed on March 20, 2024.