Joliet police union bounces cop who leaked Eric Lurry overdose video

The union representing Joliet Police Department sergeants and lieutenants voted to expel a member charged with felony official misconduct for leaking a video of an arrested man overdosing in the back of a squad car, the organization’s president said Wednesday night.

Two-thirds of the Joliet Fraternal Order of Police Supervisors Association would have to vote in favor of expelling Sgt. Javier Esqueda for the effort to succeed, Joliet police Sgt. Patrick Cardwell, the union’s President said.

More than 40 members attended the Wednesday night meeting held at the Joliet Moose Lodge on Springfield Avenue and 36 cast ballots, Cardwell said, with the vote coming in at 35-1 against Esqueda.

“This vote proves our membership has become exhausted of Esqueda’s behavior with media, and social media, with providing fraudulent information about our members in an attempt to legitimize his poor decision making,” Cardwell said. “Esqueda supporters will someday realize his actions and intentions were merely for his own self protection.”

Esqueda did not attend the union meeting.

Last month, Esqueda was given a letter from the union notifying him of the meeting and vote. Esqueda “engaged in conduct that is detrimental to the orderly operation of the Association, and your conduct is deemed so reprehensible that removal from membership is appropriate,” said the letter from Cardwell to Esqueda.

The video Esqueda leaked showed Eric Lurry, who was arrested at what police said was the scene of a drug deal, overdosing in the back of a squad car in January of 2020.

Lurry, 37, later died at AMITA Saint Joseph Medical Center in Joliet. The Will County Coroner’s Office stated Lurry’s death was an “accident due to heroin, fentanyl and cocaine intoxication due to Mr. Lurry ingesting large quantities of the narcotics as depicted in the squad car video.”

Esqueda was indicted on the felony charges in December in Kendall County, where he lives. His case remains pending.

Esqueda as also placed on administrative duty in July and has been assigned to work in City Hall.

Among those who showed up to the meeting at the Moose was Joliet police Lt. Dawn Malec.

In January, Malec was named the first female police chief in the history of Joliet. Then, last month, City Manager Jim Capperelli fired her without giving a reason.

Malec said she was fired when she scheduled a disciplinary hearing for Esqueda against Capperelli’s wishes.

The hearing could have led to Esqueda’s termination.

Malec said she did not cast a vote Wednesday.

Within hours of firing Malec, Capparelli had a letter delivered to her offering a return to her previous rank of lieutenant.

The city’s municipal code requires that discharged chiefs be returned to their previous rank unless they can retire on pension.

Like Esqueda, Malec has been assigned to administrative duties at City Hall.

While Esqueda has been booted from his union, he still enjoys it benefits and protections, Cardwell said. He called the vote a “clear message his actions and his intentions aren’t accepted by his peers.”

During a grand jury hearing, the Kendall County prosecutor asked if it was true that Esqueda planned to use the Lurry video as a “trump card” in the event he was disciplined in connection with an unrelated incident and a Joliet police lieutenant testified that was the case.

“FOPSA supports police accountability 100%,” Cardwell said. “FOPSA encourages all police officers, regardless of rank, to report any police misconduct through the proper channels. FOPSA does not support Esqueda’s actions and his attempt to self promote himself as a victim.”