'Big Outburst' Of COVID-19: 2 Joliet Murder Defendants Demand $1M

JOLIET, IL — Joliet residents Jorge Rosas and Chris A. Perez have a lot in common. Both men are being housed in the Will County Jail. Both are facing first-degree murder charges for gun killings in Joliet. Now, both murder defendants claim they contracted the coronavirus in late 2020 while living inside the Will County Jail.

Rosas and Perez have filed separate lawsuits against the Will County Adult Detention Facility, the Wellpate Health Care Administration and an unknown warden, their lawsuit states. Both of their lawsuits seek a judgment in their favor for exactly $1 million.

Their lawsuits appear to be using a form letter that is circulating within the Will County Jail because each lawsuit is the same, word for word. Patch also found a third identical civil lawsuit filed by another inmate last week. That defendant does not face murder charges.

The murder defendants did not retain a lawyer to file their case. They filed it pro se.

The first paragraph of both of their lawsuits states: "On or about date November 1 (through) December 31, 2020, I was housed in A,B,C,D,E,F, G, H, I, J, K, L pod, medical unit, N-dorm W-dorm when the Will County Adult Detention Facility had a big outburst COVID-19 that hit the Will County Adult Detention Facility leaving the plaintiff ... with a very bad infected detainee's for several days. I myself the plaintiff to took the COVID-19 test and the results came back positive ..."

Patch has reached out and left a message with the Will County Sheriff's Office spokesperson seeking reaction to the lawsuit.

It's been three-and-a-half years since Joliet Patch reported that Ricardo Perez Dared His Brother To Shoot, Kill Him: Prosecutors Say.

During the midnight hour, prosecutors say, 28-year-old Chris Perez retreated into one of their bedrooms. Chris Perez retrieved a handgun that belonged to another of their brothers who wasn't there, according to officials. The gun was loaded.

According to testimony given at the Will County Courthouse, Chris returned and confronted Ricardo Perez, 36. He allegedly raised the gun to Ricardo's head. Ricardo dared his younger brother to pull the trigger and shoot him, prosecutors said. Chris is accused of firing one bullet into his older brother's skull. Ricardo fell to the ground, dead.

The following afternoon, Chris confessed in detail to murdering his brother, according to the Will County Sheriff's Department. The killing happened in Joliet's Ridgewood Area.

As for Rosas, he has been a long-time cocaine dealer and a member of the 2-6 street gang, according to Will County prosecutors.

Joliet police arrested Rosas two days after the Oct. 26, 2020 fatal shooting of a 25-year-old man parked in his car in the St. Pat's Area of Joliet. around midnight. Last week, Joliet Patch reported that Joliet criminal defense attorney Chuck Bretz is no longer serving as Rosas' criminal defense attorney because Rosas failed to provide the necessary payments to employ the services of Bretz, Flynn & Associates.

For now, Rosas is acting as his own attorney in his Joliet first-degree murder case. To read last week's Joliet Patch about Bretz getting rid of Rosas, go here.