Schaumburg settles three more suits involving former cops

Schaumburg officials settled three more lawsuits this week involving three former police officers arrested on multiple drug conspiracy charges two years ago.

The action brings to five the number of settlements the village has reached among the 15 lawsuits filed against it and the former cops. One of these lawsuits has been dropped, while the most recent was filed just before the end of 2014.

The suits generally allege some combination of false arrest, illegal search or malicious prosecution by former officers Matthew Hudak, Terrance O'Brien and John Cichy.

Hudak and O'Brien already have pleaded guilty, while Cichy is awaiting trial on March 3.

With no admission of wrongdoing by the village on the part of itself or any past or present employees, this week's settlements pay $14,500 to plaintiff Diangelo Beasley, $15,000 to plaintiff Joseph Warren and $18,000 to plaintiff Christapher Nelson.

The village's attorney, Jim Sotos, is still evaluating the two most recent lawsuits filed. But he said he believes the village could successfully have defended all the previous ones.

The settlement amounts reached so far represent only a fraction of what full litigation of each case would have cost to defend in court, Sotos said.

"The village is making sound business decisions," he added.

In assessing each lawsuit, Sotos said he's been forced to assume that nothing Cichy, Hudak or O'Brien might say in court may be believed - whether true or not. So he's looked for - and found - independent verification in every case he's reviewed so far that there were valid reasons each plaintiff was either arrested or searched, he said.