Inmate Sues Joliet Police Seeking $1 Million, Wants Jury Trial

JOLIET, IL — A 40-year-old Joliet man who has resided in the Will County Jail since his arrest during the early morning hours of Nov. 27, 2020, has filed a civil lawsuit against the Joliet Police Department. He is seeking a jury award of $1 million for his pain and suffering, distress, mental, physical damage, and all of his injuries, his lawsuit states.

Love Lee Walker Jr. wrote up his lawsuit from the Will County Jail where he remains in custody facing a $250,000 bail. Walker filed his lawsuit pro se, meaning he did so without the assistance of a practicing lawyer. The overwhelming majority of pro se lawsuits filed by prisoners at the Will County Courthouse eventually get dismissed by the judges assigned to them.

But Walker is determined to be successful.

"Joliet police officers Teresa Reed (and) Juan Acosta took the incident into their own hands without knowing what was going on upon arrival," Walker typed in his lawsuit. "That Joliet police officer began beating the detainee for no reason leaving detainee with bruises and lacerations.

"Officer Acosta did not activate body camera while the incident was taking place," the suit continues.

It appears Walker did not realize that the Joliet Police Department does not possess any officer body cameras.

Joliet's Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council President Mike Devito and former Joliet Police Department Chief Al Roechner were both opponents of national law enforcement reform measures involving the use of body cameras for Joliet police.

New city manager Jim Capparelli has also been unsuccessful in attempting to equip Joliet police officers with body cameras five months into his job.

In any event, Walker's lawsuit states the incident that led to his arrest and hospitalization began around 11:15 p.m. on Nov. 26 in the area of Raynor Avenue.

"After Juan Acosta (and) Teresa Reed arrived to the scene, Officer Acosta immediately jumped out of the squad car and began shouting at Love Lee Walker Jr. for no apparent reason," Walker wrote in his lawsuit. "And after Officer Acosta tackled Love Lee Walker Jr. to the ground (the) officer then stated, 'Where is the weapon?' but no weapon was ever recovered or found on the plaintiff."

Walker's lawsuit states he was on the ground in handcuffs, and "Officer Acosta for no reason started beating the plaintiff for no apparent reason leaving Love Lee Walker Jr. with head injuries and edema of right eye, stomach problems and lacerations."

During the incident, Officer Reed tased Walker for five seconds, Walker wrote in his lawsuit.

"Take note that the Joliet Officer Acosta failed to activate body camera and stated that 'This what we do to detainees that run from the police. We beat them and make sure (our) ass is secure and covered and make sure you will never see the inside (of) our police department area with these injuries.'"

Walker wrote in his lawsuit that Joliet police failed to follow policy rules "by not processing the detainee the appropriate way."

Attorneys for the city of Joliet have yet to respond to Walker's lawsuit.

However, the Will County State's Attorney's Office has taken a far different position on Walker's case, charging him with four counts of aggravated battery.

One charge states that Walker "made physical contact of an insulting or provoking nature with Juan Acosta knowing Juan Acosta to be a peace officer ... in that said defendant pushed Juan Acosta about the body."

His second charge states that Walker "grabbed Juan Acosta about the body" and the third charge states that Walker bit Officer Erick Gutierrez "about the leg."

Walker's fourth aggravated battery charge claims he caused bodily harm to Dr. Jon Strotkamp, who is an emergency medical services doctor at the AMITA Health Saint Joseph Medical Center "in that said defendant bit Dr. Jon Strotkamp about the hand."

On Nov. 27, Joliet Patch published an article about Walker's arrest that was headlined: "Man Puts Joliet Officer In Headlock, Bites St. Joe's Doctor: Cops."

According to Joliet police, officers arrived at the disturbance on Raynor Avenue around 11:15 p.m. on Thanksgiving.

"Walker was involved in a verbal altercation with his neighbors and was walking towards them in an aggressive manner," police reports claim.

When officers tried to intervene and resolve the matter, Walker ran toward his house and pushed one of the officers, according to the reports.

"During the struggle, Walker placed the officer in a headlock. An arriving officer on scene then deployed a Taser on Walker, and he was placed into custody without further incident," police said at the time.