Niece of man killed by Carol Stream police gets pretrial diversion for threat

The niece of a man killed during a confrontation with Carol Stream police last year has pleaded guilty to making threats against officers during a protest over the deadly shooting.

Dajanae Barnes, 23, of Carol Stream admitted April 17 to one count of threatening a public official, according to DuPage County court records.

Under the terms of her plea deal, Barnes will enter a pretrial diversion program. If she completes it successfully by April 16, 2026, she will be allowed to withdraw her plea and prosecutors will dismiss the charge.

Barnes also must perform 12 days of work in the Sheriff’s Work Alternative Program, attend an anger management program and grief counseling, and write a letter of apology to the Carol Stream Police Department.

Charges of obstruction of justice, resisting a peace officer, mob action also were dropped as part of the plea agreement.

Authorities say Barnes made the threat June 26 while she and others protested the killing of Isaiah Goodlow III along Gary Avenue, about a mile south of the police department.

Just a few hours earlier, DuPage County State’s Attorney Robert Berlin announced he would not prosecute the officer who shot Goodlow.

During a detention hearing after her arrest, prosecutors told a judge Barnes said “I’ll blow this building up, watch when I get out. So take me to jail for saying that too.”

She also threatened three police officers, according to court records.

Goodlow, 30, was shot to death in his apartment Feb. 3, 2024, as police were investigating a domestic abuse complaint. Police said he was behind the bedroom door when police entered the dark room and saw him with a raised arm. Believing he was armed or reaching for a weapon, an officer fired one shot, striking Goodlow in the chest.

Goodlow was not armed, authorities later said.

Berlin said he did not have sufficient evidence to charge the police officer with a crime, but also declined to say the shooting was justified.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20250421/crime/niece-of-man-killed-by-carol-stream-police-gets-pretrial-diversion-for-threat/