Village of Oak Lawn Agrees to Pay $825K Settlement Over Teen's Police Brutality Incident
The Village of Oak Lawn has agreed to pay a staggering $825,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by Hadi Abuatelah, a Palestinian American teenager who was brutally punched in the head and legs by three village police officers in 2022. The settlement comes after a federal court case was settled at the behest of the village's insurance carrier, with the village set to pay $250,000 out of pocket.
Abuatlah, now 21, was 17 when he was held to the ground and repeatedly punched by the officers after they allegedly stopped his car due to suspicious odors. The incident led to Abuatlah's arrest, during which a loaded pistol was found in his bag. He later pleaded guilty to weapons charges in a juvenile court.
The incident sparked widespread outrage within the Arab American community, prompting Abuatlah's family to file a civil rights lawsuit against the officers and the village. Oak Lawn Mayor Terry Vorderer said the village settled the lawsuit reluctantly, stating that the settlement would "put the entire matter behind us" and find no fault in the actions of the police department.
However, lawyers for Abuatlah disputed this assertion, with Zaid Abadalah saying that the settlement highlights a need for more training among law enforcement officers in situations where force is used. Antonio Romanucci echoed similar sentiments, stating that the use of closed-fist blows on Abuatlah was "wholly unreasonable" and should have been avoided.
The incident also drew attention when an Oak Lawn police officer involved in the arrest was indicted by a Cook County grand jury last year on counts of aggravated battery and official misconduct. However, prosecutors dropped those charges in December 2024 citing insufficient evidence.
The Village of Oak Lawn has agreed to pay a staggering $825,000 to settle a lawsuit filed by Hadi Abuatelah, a Palestinian American teenager who was brutally punched in the head and legs by three village police officers in 2022. The settlement comes after a federal court case was settled at the behest of the village's insurance carrier, with the village set to pay $250,000 out of pocket.
Abuatlah, now 21, was 17 when he was held to the ground and repeatedly punched by the officers after they allegedly stopped his car due to suspicious odors. The incident led to Abuatlah's arrest, during which a loaded pistol was found in his bag. He later pleaded guilty to weapons charges in a juvenile court.
The incident sparked widespread outrage within the Arab American community, prompting Abuatlah's family to file a civil rights lawsuit against the officers and the village. Oak Lawn Mayor Terry Vorderer said the village settled the lawsuit reluctantly, stating that the settlement would "put the entire matter behind us" and find no fault in the actions of the police department.
However, lawyers for Abuatlah disputed this assertion, with Zaid Abadalah saying that the settlement highlights a need for more training among law enforcement officers in situations where force is used. Antonio Romanucci echoed similar sentiments, stating that the use of closed-fist blows on Abuatlah was "wholly unreasonable" and should have been avoided.
The incident also drew attention when an Oak Lawn police officer involved in the arrest was indicted by a Cook County grand jury last year on counts of aggravated battery and official misconduct. However, prosecutors dropped those charges in December 2024 citing insufficient evidence.
I mean can you even imagine being treated like that? I feel so sorry for Hadi Abuatelah and his family. It's just crazy how much money the village is paying out, but at least they're taking responsibility for their mistakes 
. I don't think it's about finding fault with the police department or anything like that, more like they need to improve their training so this kind of thing doesn't happen again 
. The fact that one of the officers was indicted and then had charges dropped is just wild... it shows how corrupt systems can be sometimes 
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and the thing is, the cops say they didnt do anything wrong but its hard to believe when u see the vids of abuatlah being beaten up... training for police officers sounds like a must tho 
another settlement like this is just a slap in the face to victims who suffered real trauma... 825k for getting pummeled by cops? That's peanuts! 
and the village is gonna get away with "putting the matter behind us"? No way. This is all about cover-up and lack of accountability. 
The fact that they settled this quietly without taking any real responsibility shows exactly what's wrong with our justice system... 
. I think it's amazing that his family is fighting for justice, especially since they're part of the Arab American community who've faced systemic racism and profiling issues in the past 
. But seriously, $825k is a lot of money for a settlement, can't we just focus on giving Hadi the support he needs to heal from this experience? 
It's a total example of systemic issues within law enforcement, you know? We need to have these kinds of conversations about police reform and making sure our officers are equipped to handle situations like this in a way that doesn't harm civilians. 
the thing is, we can't just accept that bad things happen without questioning them 
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! $825k settlement for getting punched in the head & legs? That's wild... like the village just rolled over 
. And now they're saying it's "put the matter behind us"? No way 
.
However, I think it's really concerning that Antonio Romanucci said using closed-fist blows was "wholly unreasonable" and should've been avoided... shouldn't police officers be trained to handle situations like this without resorting to violence? 
I mean, we're supposed to be living in a society where we have rules and laws to protect us, not where our own people are being brutally attacked by cops 
And let's be real, $250K is still a lot of money that could've gone to actual good, but at least we're talking about it now 
I'm just glad Hadi Abuatelah is safe and that his family got some closure, that's what matters most 
this is so crazy I mean what's up with that village? Paying like $825k over some teens altercations its not exactly the most convincing defense for police brutality and now they're saying its just gonna put everything behind them? 
Maybe it's just me, but I think this settlement is like the ultimate cop-out (pun intended). Like, if they're gonna pay $825K to settle the case, maybe they should've thought about getting their officers some self-defense training... or a few punching bags of their own 
. But for real though, it's still messed up that the village had to foot the bill. Guess you could say they're buying peace... and a whole lotta lawyers 
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. the $825k settlement is def not enuf, like they should be payin more 4 the pain & trauma they suffered 
. i hope this case helps bring some change 4 law enforcement training & procedures... wut a difference it cud make 
. The fact that Oak Lawn Mayor Terry Vorderer is claiming no fault on the part of the police department is just not adding up. I mean, come on, closed-fist blows? That's just unreasonable 
! Seriously though, $825k is a crazy amount for one person. I mean, I've spent that much on video games and it didn't even get me arrested 
!