In March, Chicago Police Officer Anthony Banks received an email on his work-issued cell phone.
The message contained a caricature of a Black man with a large head, oversized lips, and a wide nose, according to the lawsuit. Above the image was the question: “WHEN IS A NIGGER MOST FRUSTRATED?” Below it was the answer: “WHEN HE TRIES TO BLOW HIS OWN BRAINS OUT!”
The cartoon depicted a man holding a gun in his mouth, a tear falling from his eye as a bullet exited his head. The man, drawn with two other bullet holes, was captioned in substandard English: “DAM…I DUN MISSED AGIN!”
The cartoon is part of evidence in a federal lawsuit filed August 26 by Banks, alleging racial harassment, retaliation, and a hostile work environment at the Chicago Police Department (CPD).
Banks is represented by the Blake Horwitz Law Firm. His lawsuit describes alleged experiences of racial hostility in the department, where, according to him, Black officers rarely speak out or challenge discrimination. The complaint names multiple CPD officers for what the lawsuit describes as “explicit” acts of racism.
According to the filing, the cartoon was sent the day after Banks intervened in a heated confrontation on March 17 between a civilian woman and a fellow officer. Banks attempted to de-escalate the situation after the officer bumped into the woman. Later that day, the lawsuit claims, several officers surrounded Banks at the Harrison District 11 station, called him racial slurs, and told him to “go back” to his former assignment at the Grand Crossing District 3, which has more Black officers.
The complaint further alleges the officers prevented Banks from leaving the room until two sergeants intervened. Banks reported the incident to Lt. Nari Haro, a named defendant, and was instructed to prepare a confidential memo. That memo was later leaked online, allegedly leading to more retaliation.
On March 18, Banks received the racist caricature, which the lawsuit claims was sent by one of the officers involved in the earlier incident.
Attorney Blake Horwitz called the cartoon “the most racially perverse” example he has seen, likening it to racism in 1950s Mississippi.
The lawsuit claims violations of Banks’ Fourth Amendment rights, alleging he was unlawfully detained in the station without probable cause. It also cites violations of equal protection based on racially motivated harassment, retaliation, and the unauthorized release of confidential information.
Banks is currently on medical leave, citing emotional stress and concern for his safety. The lawsuit seeks damages for lost wages, emotional distress, and attorney fees, as well as institutional reforms to address systemic racism within CPD.
A retired Black police officer told the Chicago Crusader that racism exists in CPD, particularly toward Black officers who are outspoken.
Horwitz said the case underscores the department’s culture of hostility. “This case illustrates the toxic culture inside the Chicago Police Department—where an officer who does the right thing by de-escalating an interaction between police and a civilian becomes the target of racial hostility by his own colleagues,” Horwitz said.