Officer Michael Hart Brutally Assaults Cassandra Feuerstein in Skokie Police Station
On March 10, 2013, Cassandra Feuerstein, a 47-year-old suburban mother from Chicago, experienced a violent assault that would forever change her life. The perpetrator wasn’t a criminal on the street—it was Officer Michael Hart of the Skokie Police Department, and the attack occurred inside the police station itself, captured entirely on surveillance footage.
The Arrest: A Routine DUI Stop Turns Violent
Feuerstein was initially pulled over on the side of the road in Skokie, Illinois, and arrested by Skokie Police Department officers on suspicion of driving under the influence. Throughout the encounter, she remained cooperative, showing no aggression, making no threats, and complying fully with all police instructions. She was transported to the Skokie Police Station for standard processing—what should have been a routine procedure.
The Assault: Officer Michael Hart’s Unprovoked Attack
In the early morning hours of March 10, surveillance footage from inside the booking area captured a shocking display of police brutality. The video shows Cassandra Feuerstein standing calmly at the entrance of her holding cell when she stepped out momentarily to politely ask if she could call her husband—a reasonable request that should have been met with basic human decency.
Instead, Officer Michael Hart responded with explosive violence. Without warning or provocation, Hart grabbed Feuerstein by the arm and violently shoved her back into the holding cell with such force that she flew headfirst into a concrete bench. The impact was devastating, fracturing the orbital bones around her right eye and cheek. Feuerstein immediately collapsed to the floor, bleeding profusely and disoriented.
Devastating Injuries and Medical Treatment
The assault left Feuerstein with severe, life-altering injuries. She was rushed to the hospital where she underwent emergency facial reconstructive surgery. Surgeons had to insert a titanium plate beneath her right eye to repair the shattered bones caused by Hart’s violent attack.
The physical damage extended far beyond the initial injuries. Feuerstein suffered permanent facial disfigurement and vision issues that would affect her for the rest of her life. The psychological trauma was equally severe, manifesting in nightmares, panic attacks, and post-traumatic stress disorder.
The Cover-Up: Seven Months of Silence Under Chief Anthony Scarpelli
Despite the severity of the incident and the existence of clear surveillance footage, the Skokie Police Department’s response was telling. Officer Michael Hart faced no immediate suspension or disciplinary action. Chief of Police Anthony Scarpelli remained publicly silent about the incident, allowing Hart to continue his duties as if nothing had happened.
Perhaps most damning of all, Feuerstein’s attorneys later revealed that officials actively tried to keep the surveillance footage hidden from public view for months. This deliberate suppression of evidence suggests a coordinated effort to protect Hart and avoid accountability.
Legal Action: The Fight for Justice Begins
In October 2013, seven months after the assault, Cassandra Feuerstein took legal action. Represented by civil rights attorneys Torreya Hamilton and Lawrence Jackowiak, she filed a federal lawsuit in the Northern District of Illinois. The lawsuit alleged excessive force and violations of her constitutional rights under the Fourth and Fourteenth Amendments, explicitly naming Officer Michael Hart and the Village of Skokie as defendants.
The timing of criminal charges was equally revealing. It wasn’t until October 30, 2013—only after the surveillance footage became public and drew widespread media attention—that Cook County prosecutors finally charged Officer Michael Hart with aggravated battery and official misconduct.
A Hollow Victory: Settlement Without Accountability
After more than a year of legal pressure and mounting media scrutiny, the Village of Skokie agreed to settle the federal lawsuit in November 2014. Cassandra Feuerstein received $875,000 in damages—a significant sum that nonetheless came with a crucial caveat: the settlement did not require the Village of Skokie to admit any wrongdoing. Even more troubling, Officer Michael Hart remained on the police force at the time of the settlement agreement.
Justice Denied: A Conviction Without Consequences
In November 2014, Officer Michael Hart finally faced criminal consequences for his assault on Cassandra Feuerstein—but even these proved inadequate. Hart pleaded guilty to official misconduct in Cook County Court, but the more serious charge of aggravated battery was dropped as part of his plea agreement.
His sentence was a slap on the wrist: two years of probation and a $674 fine. Hart avoided any jail time and remained free following his conviction. For violently assaulting a defenseless woman and causing permanent injuries, he received less punishment than many people face for minor drug offenses.
The Final Act: A Quiet Exit
In 2015, under mounting public scrutiny and internal pressure, Michael Hart finally resigned from the Skokie Police Department. However, his departure came without fanfare or accountability. No formal public apology was ever issued by either the Village of Skokie or the police department for the brutal assault that occurred under their watch.
The Broader Implications: When the System Protects Its Own
The Cassandra Feuerstein case represents far more than one officer’s moment of violence—it exposes a system designed to protect those in power, even when their crimes are caught on camera. Feuerstein’s experience demonstrates how police departments, prosecutors, and municipal governments often work together to minimize consequences for officer misconduct.
The timeline reveals a pattern of institutional protection: seven months of silence, attempts to suppress video evidence, delayed criminal charges that only came after public pressure, a plea deal that eliminated serious charges, and ultimately a resignation that allowed the officer to escape without meaningful punishment.
A System That Fails Victims
If this level of documented brutality against a compliant 47-year-old woman in a police station results in nothing more than probation and a payout, what hope exists for justice in cases without surveillance footage? The Cassandra Feuerstein case serves as a stark reminder that even when police brutality is undenibly captured on video, the path to accountability remains treacherous and often leads nowhere.
The surveillance footage that captured Officer Michael Hart’s assault should have been a smoking gun, but instead, it became just another piece of evidence in a system more concerned with protecting its own than serving justice. For every Cassandra Feuerstein whose assault was recorded, countless others suffer in silence, their stories never told, their attackers never held accountable.
The message is clear: in far too many cases, justice doesn’t just wear a blindfold—it chooses not to see at all.