Body Camera Won't Be Released In Attack On Joliet's Chief: English

JOLIET, IL — The Joliet Police Department administration has decided it will not release any of the officer body camera videos capturing the arrest of 39-year-old Joliet homeless person, Joshua Medina, who is accused of attacking Joliet Police Chief Bill Evans in the city's downtown and punching the owner of CUT 158 Chophouse in the chest during the Oct. 15 altercation.

Medina has been charged with 10 crimes, and he remains in the Will County Jail. Will County Judge Donald DeWilkins ordered Medina to undergo a mental health evaluation. October marked the second straight month Medina was arrested by Joliet police in connection with allegations Medina attacked someone. The September arrest was only a misdemeanor, so Medina was not put in jail at that time.

On Oct. 31, Joliet Patch submitted its FOIA request "seeking access to the Joliet police officer body camera video pertaining to the arrest of Joshua Medina, the man who attacked Police Chief Bill Evans and the owner of CUT 158 Chophouse."

This week, Joliet Police Sgt. Dwayne English responded to Patch's request, stating: "This letter is to inform you that your FOIA request is being denied for the following reasons; 7(1)(d)(iii) Deprivation of a Fair Trial Allows a public body to withhold records when disclosure would create a substantial likelihood that a person will be deprived of a fair trial or an impartial hearing.

"This case received extensive media attention. Release of information at this time may deprive the defendant of a right to fair and unbiased court proceedings," English wrote.

English's Joliet Police Department FOIA denial went on to explain that "the City of Joliet Freedom of Information Officer contributed to the decision to grant/deny the request. You have the right to review by Leah Bartlett, Public Access Counselor, Office of the Illinois Attorney General, 500 S. 2nd Street, Springfield, Illinois 62701, telephone: 877-299-3642, email: public.access@ilag.gov. You also have the right to judicial review under 5 ILCS 140/11."

As for Medina, "the court finds a bona fide doubt exists as to the defendant's fitness to stand trial," Will County Judge Donald DeWilkins' fitness order declared.

The judge has set Medina's felony case for a mental fitness hearing on Nov. 22 in Courtroom 405 of Will County Judge Dave Carlson.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

10 Charges for Man Who Bit, Clawed, Punched Police Chief: Prosecutors

Police Chief Taken To Hospital After Downtown Attack, 1 Arrested