Vol. 3 Issue 24
New Reporting with Our Partners at Illinois Public Media
Urbana Police Department Officer John Franquemont after arresting Laquesha Thadison in April 2020
July 28th, 2023
A “Pattern of Problematic Conduct”: Urbana Officer Tests Police Accountability
by Brian Dolinar, with additional reporting by Sam Stecklow and Andrew Fan
The below story is part of a partnership focusing on police misconduct in Champaign County between the Champaign-Urbana Civic Police Data Project of the Invisible Institute, and Illinois Newsroom, powered by Illinois Public Media. This investigation was supported with funding from the Data-Driven Reporting Project, which is funded by the Google News Initiative in partnership with Northwestern University | Medill.
“I had a big goose egg on my forehead,” Tianna Morrow recalled, after being pushed down by Urbana police officer John Franquemont. “I busted my head on the cart where the kids put their shoes.”
Morrow and her boyfriend, Lamar DeShawn Phillips, who are both Black residents of Urbana, were sleeping when they were woken up in the middle of the night by police in January 2018. They had crashed on the couch at an apartment rented out by Phillips’ brother. Morrow says they had his permission to be there, but police were called by the brother’s girlfriend, who was also residing in the apartment.
After he refused to leave, Officers Franquemont and Adam Marcotte, both white, moved in to arrest Phillips, and a struggle ensued. Franquemont put Phillips in a headlock, but he slipped out. Phillips attempted to escape through the front door, but Franquemont grabbed him and punched him several times in the face, according to reports by both Franquemont and Phillips.
Morrow tried to plead with the officers, but Franquemont shoved her and she fell back hitting her head on the shelf. When she got up, Marcotte pushed her and she hit her head a second time, she said in an interview with the Invisible Institute.
Phillips and Morrow were both arrested and taken to jail. They were charged with trespassing, resisting arrest and obstruction of justice.
Phillips pleaded guilty in April 2018 before unsuccessfully attempting to change his plea. Morrow’s case was delayed for almost two years, and in December 2019 was dismissed. Still upset by what happened, Morrow filed a formal complaint with the police department on March 9, 2020. “They shoved me twice,” Morrow wrote in her complaint, “and I flung back and hit my head on a cubby shoe rack.”
This is an excerpt of a longer reporting piece, published with our reporting partner Illinois Public Media. Read the full article here→
This reporting comes from our work expanding access to police data in Illinois. Learn more about our Champaign-Urbana Civic Police Data Project and explore the data here→
Audio Storytelling Intensive
Attention, South & West Side residents: tell your story in audio! Join the Invisible Institute, makers of the award-winning podcasts You Didn’t See Nothin and Somebody, for a 4-week intensive workshop exploring the possibilities of audio storytelling. Participants of all experience levels are welcome, and will leave with an understanding of audio recording, digital editing, and interviewing, and with a 4-6 minute polished piece to add to their portfolio.
Apply Here→
Beneath the Surface Short Documentary on View at Southside Community Arts Center
We’re thrilled to share that a short documentary by cai thomas on Beneath the Surface will be on view at
Southside Community Arts Center from July 7 - September 23rd as part of the Black Light Cinema Project exhibition.
Make time to view the exhibit - while there, explore some of the work of Beneath the Surface including complaint records, a missing persons report & information about how we’ve obtained these records.
You Didn’t See Nothin - Featured on Snap Judgment
Earlier this month, You Didn’t See Nothin host Yohance Lacour joined Snap Judgment for a conversation on the makings of You Didn’t See Nothin, race in America, and “the meat of the matter.”
Prior to the interview with host Glynn Washington, Snap Judgment played the first episode of You Didn’t See Nothin.
Listen to the full episode of Snap Judgment→
Learn more about You Didn't See Nothin→
