Men Involved In Confrontation With Mayor Hire Lawyer

JOILET, IL — Victor Williams and Jamal Smith, the two men involved in a confrontation with Mayor Bob O'Dekirk that was caught on video, have retained legal representation. Lawrence O’Reilly and Michael Baker, of The Law Offices of Lawrence X. O’Reilly will be representing the men.

“We will be asking that any charges against them will be dropped,” O’Reilly said. “We will be filing a suit on behalf of against the mayor and his person and on behalf of the city of Joliet
and against the individual officers and the Joliet Police Department.”

The incident took place on May 31 at a protest in Joliet. In the widely circulated video, O’Dekirk is seen pulling a black male to the ground. That man is later identified as Williams.

“(Victor) was grabbed at the time by an unknown male, white who had no color of authority about his person,” O’Reilly said. “Grabbed and then brought to the ground. When he is brought to the ground, his brother Jamal came to his brother’s aid.”

O’Reilly said that the video then shows “multiple Joliet Police Officers proceeded to strike the men, with a number of strikes and punches about their head and body.”

The video has led to groups within the city calling for the mayor’s resignation, while others within the city have begun a petition to support him.

O’Reilly said that while he can tell that the men have been charged — each with aggravated assault and mob action — he did not know if their charges were misdemeanors or felonies.

“They’re not available online yet,” he said. “They do have a scheduled court date on the
July 2, 2020 at 1:30 in room 305.”

A call to the Joliet Police Department to verify charges was not returned.

O’Reilly said he was also unclear if Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow would be handling the case or if it would be handled elsewhere. A call to the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office was not answered.

O’Reilly has called a press conference for 2 p.m., Monday, June 8 in front of Joliet City Hall, 150 W. Jefferson.

O’Reilly also confirmed but would not provide an additional video taken at the protest that night that captured the altercation.

“At some point we may be willing to release that,” he said. “I think what you will see will completely contradict what the mayor has to say.”

He did say that in none of the videos that he has seen does it seem like tear gas had been released on protestors.

A call to O’Dekirk was not returned Thursday.

O'Reilly said that he would ultimately like the following to happen for his clients.

"The charges dismissed against my clients, we would love to see the mayor resign, and we expect some kind of remuneration for the pain and suffering and violation of my clients' civil rights," he said.