Eric Lurry Demonstration At Joliet Police Station

JOLIET, IL — A group of about 40 people seeking justice for Joliet Police Department detainee Eric Lurry converged outside the Joliet Police Station in downtown Joliet on Tuesday afternoon as the temperatures approached 95 degrees. The rally began at 2 p.m.

At one point, the group of demonstrators marched along Joliet Street, passing the Harrah's Casino & Hotel, before circling back on the opposite side of the street before returning to the front steps of the Joliet Police Station, 150 West Washington St.

On hand to cover Tuesday's demonstrations was Joliet Patch, The Herald-News and CBS Chicago investigative reporter Dave Savini.

"We are going to keep protesting until we get justice for Eric Lurry," remarked Joliet resident Tiara Wheatley. "This is not a one-day thing. I'm going to keep fighting for my Black brothers and sisters."

Wheatley said that two things can happen in the aftermath of Lurry's controversial death. The community can "give up or fight. The best decision you can make is to fight," she said. "No one should die in police custody."

Lurry, 37, died during the early morning hours of Jan. 29. He had been taken into custody by Joliet police officers on the afternoon of Jan. 28.

According to Wheatley, "if you are scared of Black people, do not become a police officer."

The Joliet Police Department's upper administration maintains that the officers involved in Lurry's arrest did nothing improper and that Lurry died as a result of a drug overdose.

A copy of the squad car video that was obtained by Joliet Police Sgt. Javier Esqueda, the police department whistleblower, showed Joliet Police Sgt. Doug May holding Lurry's nose pinched shut for nearly two minutes as Lurry became unresponsive in the backseat of officer Andrew McCue's squad car in the parking lot of the Joliet Police Station.

Esqueda told one Chicago television station, CBS Channel 2, that fellow members of the Joliet Police Department appear to be involved in tampering with evidence while Lurry was dying in the squad car's backseat.

The squad car's audio system was abruptly turned off while Sgt. May was in the backseat with an unresponsive Lurry.

The officers present said a small bag of drugs was later recovered from Lurry's mouth, according to police reports.

Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow issued a statement last week saying "Eric Lurry's death was caused by the ingestion of fatal amounts of heroin, Fentanyl and cocaine and did not result directly from any action or inaction by an officer of the Joliet Police Department."