Federal Judge Mary M. Rowland had sharp words for Chicago city lawyers this week after Chicago police abruptly pulled Officer Richard Rodriquez Jr. out of a court-ordered deposition in the middle of his sworn testimony so he could be taken back to headquarters and stripped of his badge and gun. The interruption, which took place on Feb. 20 about 90 minutes into the deposition, stunned plaintiffs’ attorneys and brought the questioning to a halt. Rowland pushed both sides for answers and set a quick timetable for the city to explain itself to the court.
Rowland, clearly unimpressed, told attorneys, "Good God! Who does that?" and called the timing and manner of the move "peculiar," raising pointed questions about transparency inside the department. As reported by the Chicago Tribune, she stopped short of immediately ordering the Chicago Police Department to turn over the written communications that triggered the move. Instead, she instructed lawyers to spell out exactly what records they want so she can evaluate the requests, and she set a short deadline for the city to respond.
The officer at the center of the dustup, Richard Rodriquez Jr., serves on the Near North 1863 tactical team, a unit that local reporters say has been the focus of dozens of complaints and several federal lawsuits. According to ABC7 Chicago, Rodriquez is the fifth member of that unit to be relieved of police powers. A COPA memo obtained by reporters states he has been named in 67 misconduct complaints over eight years. The civil-rights lawsuit that led to the deposition stems from a 2023 River North traffic stop in which plaintiffs say they were mistreated and that officers falsified reports.
Those allegations track with wider concerns already raised by the city watchdog. Records and a COPA letter reviewed by WTTW News show investigators flagged troubling stop-and-search practices in the Near North (18th) District, with a disproportionate share of complaints coming from Black drivers. Local reporting has also detailed dozens of federal lawsuits naming members of the 1863 team in recent years, along with several sustained findings or recommended discipline.
Why lawyers want the communications
Plaintiffs’ attorneys argue that yanking Rodriquez out mid-deposition undermined the integrity of the court process and may be explained by internal emails or memos that shed light on why it happened when it did. According to the Chicago Tribune, Judge Rowland told lawyers to describe in detail which communications they are seeking so she can decide whether the city must turn them over. The plaintiffs have filed a motion to compel, asking the court to order a fresh deposition if the interruption is ultimately found improper.
What this could mean for the city
The personnel shakeup and the brewing discovery fight add to mounting legal and political pressure on the Chicago Police Department, which has already paid out millions in settlements tied to similar cases. Reporting by WTTW News has linked a series of settlements and internal findings to the broader pattern of stops in the 18th District, while ABC7 Chicago has tallied dozens of federal lawsuits naming 1863 officers over the last five years. City attorneys and CPD officials have declined on-the-record comment, citing the ongoing litigation, but Rowland’s public rebuke has only intensified scrutiny of how internal investigations and personnel moves are timed and communicated.
Upcoming court filings will determine whether the city must hand over more records or sit Rodriquez back down for a do-over deposition. For now, the episode has shoved the 1863 tactical team back into the spotlight and left a federal judge asking city leaders pointed questions that will not be easy to answer. The court is expected to rule on the plaintiffs’ requests after the city submits its written response later this week.
