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Joliet woman’s attorney seeks internal affairs records in obstructing officer case

Konika Morrow’s case has not yet gone to trial

By Felix Sarver
Konika Morrow stands along a curb on Wednesday, July 10, 2019, in Joliet, Ill., where she says a Joliet police officer "rushed" her. A video of the incident on Facebook Live shows an officer appearing to tackle Morrow to the ground during a fray. Police said in a Facebook post a crowd became "unruly" after officers tried to subdue a man riding a dirt bike.

Konika Morrow stands along a curb on Wednesday, July 10, 2019, in Joliet, Ill., where she says a Joliet police officer "rushed" her. A video of the incident on Facebook Live shows an officer appearing to tackle Morrow to the ground during a fray. Police said in a Facebook post a crowd became "unruly" after officers tried to subdue a man riding a dirt bike.

A woman’s attorney is seeking to obtain internal affairs records of Joliet police officers involved in the 2019 prayer vigil incident that led to her arrest.

Neil Patel, attorney for Konika Morrow, 42, of Joliet, filed a motion for additional discovery that claimed Joliet police officials ignored a subpoena for internal affairs investigation records related to Morrow’s case.

Prosecutors have charged Morrow with obstructing Joliet Police Officer Alan Vertin by walking toward him after she was told to stay back during a police confrontation at a prayer vigil on July 9, 2019.

Patel’s motion argued the internal affairs records related to Morrow’s case “would have clear value for impeachment purposes and go towards each witness officer bias and motive to lie.”

In a series of screen shots from a cellphone video, Joliet police officers can be seen removing Joshwa Cooley from a dirt bike and restraining Konika Morrow on Tuesday, July 9, outside a South Ottawa Street church in Joliet, Ill.

In a series of screen shots from a cellphone video, Joliet police officers can be seen removing Joshwa Cooley from a dirt bike and restraining Konika Morrow on Tuesday, July 9, 2019, outside a South Ottawa Street church in Joliet, Illinois.

A judge has not yet ruled on Patel’s motion, which is scheduled for a hearing on Sept. 23. Will County State’s Attorney spokeswoman Carole Cheney said the office will respond to the motion in court on that date.

Patel filed the motion in response to a story from The Herald-News regarding the police reports in the Kendall County criminal case against Joliet police Sgt. Javier Esqueda.

Esqueda was accused in the police reports of planning to use the squad video of Eric Lurry’s arrest against another sergeant if he received discipline from an internal affairs investigations against him.

Lurry’s overdose death in police custody sparked protests and a lawsuit last year. Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow determined Lurry’s death “did not result directly from any action or inaction by an officer of the Joliet Police Department.”

A witness claimed Esqueda said he was being thrown “under the bus” over the prayer vigil incident, the police reports said.

Morrow has an ongoing federal lawsuit case against Esqueda, Vertin and Joliet Police Officer Adam Stapleton. Her lawsuit alleges the officers committed misconduct during the prayer vigil incident.

Patel’s motion said the story from The Herald-News on the Esqueda police reports show the Joliet police “has additional records regarding [the] above case — statements of witnesses which are relevant to this matter.”

“At bare minimum, it is likely that multiple officers were interviewed regarding the events of the above case and gave statements in addition to what is contained in the police reports that were tendered in this matter,” Patel said.

“Given the state has already cleared the (City of Joliet) in Lurry’s death, along with the fact that Esqueda is facing criminal charges for his activity in releasing, there is a strong suggestion that the (Will County State’s Attorney’s Office) is aware of these additional reports and have failed to disclose them,” Patel said.