A Skokie police officer tendered his resignation Friday after he was accused of using excessive force on a Chicago woman who was arrested for DUI.
Michael Hart, 43, of Gurnee, was charged last month with felony aggravated battery and official misconduct after he was captured on videotape forcibly shoving a female inmate into a jail cell, shattering several bones in the woman’s face, according to a release from the state's attorney's office.
The 19-year veteran was relieved of his police powers and placed on administrative leave with pay while the village was finalizing its internal investigation.
Village officials say their internal investigation determined that Hart had violated the police department's rules and regulations, and notified the officer last week that they would seek to terminate him.
- WATCH: Surveillance Camera Footage
Cassandra Feuerstein, 47, was arrested for DUI March 10 after officers found her pulled over at the side of the road and asleep behind the wheel.
But Feuerstein claims her civil rights were violated after she was taken to the police station.
Surveillance video portrays a calm scene as Feuerstein interacts with an officer until she says she asked to call her husband and kids.
Officer Hart called her out of the cell, and less than 20 seconds later, the video shows Hart throwing the 110-pound woman back into the cell, launching her face-first into a cement bench.
The rest of the video shows two other officers assisting her as she bled on the floor.
Feuerstein says several bones were shattered in her face, requiring reconstructive surgery and a titanium plate in her cheek.
Hart's attorney claims other angles of the video need to be viewed to get the full picture.
If convicted, Hart faces a sentence that ranges from a term of probation to up to five years in prison.
