Ex-Joliet Cop Bill Busse's Criminal Trial Gets Last Minute Delay

JOLIET, IL — Bill Busse, a former Joliet police officer, will not have a jury trial this week at the Will County Courthouse, more than three years after New Lenox police arrested him on four charges of domestic battery, one count of resisting arrest and one count of violation of his bail/bond. That was the second time in 2019 Busse got arrested on domestic battery charges.

Instead of choosing a jury on Tuesday at the Will County Courthouse, Busse's criminal trial got moved to March. 6. The case will involve Busse's arrest on Dec. 29, 2019.

During most of the pre-trial, Busse was represented by attorney Jeff Tomczak of the Tomczak Law Group, but that's no longer the case. Tomczak withdrew as Busse's lawyer, and Busse's now represented by Amirante Law Offices out of Des Plaines.

Last Friday, a Will County judge rejected a motion put forth by Amirante Law Offices seeking to quash and suppress the prosecution's evidence.

According to Jan. 10 filings in the case presented by Will County's prosecutors:

• Busse's ex-wife met the New Lenox police officer at the front door and whispered, "He's here inside the house, and I'm scared." The officer heard a door close inside the house, so she called for additional New Lenox police to assist with the call.
• The officer saw red marks on the left side of Busse's ex-wife's cheek and neck area.
• Busse's ex-wife claimed that, prior to police arrival, Busse was with her in the basement of the house when he became very angry after having sex with her. He tapped her on the cheek, covered her mouth with one hand and put his other hand around her neck, restricting her ability to breathe for about 30 seconds.
• When the ex-wife called out to one of their small children, Busse got off her and that allowed her to get away.
• Busse followed her into one of the children's rooms, and he slapped her across the face. She used an Apple Watch that she hid to call 911 without Busse's knowledge.
• When New Lenox police got the house, Busse locked himself inside a bedroom with the couple's two minor children. He refused to open the door and began spewing profanities at police.
• Busse's ex-wife furnished New Lenox police with a key to the bedroom door, but it didn't work. Instead, officers got into the bedroom through a door attached to the bathroom.
• When officers barged into the bedroom, Busse continued yelling profanities at the officers while in being placed in handcuffs and being led back to their squad car, even lunging at his ex-wife as he was being escorted out of the house.
• Contrary to a pre-trial motion filed by Busse's new defense firm, at no time during the police interactions of Dec. 29, 2019, did New Lenox police see Busse's ex-wife as intoxicated, erratic or appear to be under the influence of any substances.
• "The defense states that there was no sign of injury ... to corroborate allegations of domestic battery, however, it is noted in the police report that (she) had redness on her face, neck and chest consistent with the allegations of being slapped, tapped, and choked. Further, those injuries were photographed by officers on the evening of Dec. 29, 2019."

In recent years, Busse's ex-wife filed multiple orders of protection at the Will County Courthouse to keep the Joliet police officer out of her life.

Even after his two domestic violence arrests, Busse remained on the Joliet Police Department, until reaching a settlement with Joliet in the summer 0f 2021 to part ways.

Busse joined the Joliet Police Department in June 2013 and before that, served on the Park Forest Police Department where he was on the SWAT team.

Related Joliet Patch coverage:

Joliet Cop 'Has Now Beat Me Twice Since Our Divorce:' Ex-Wife

Joliet Police Officer Bill Busse No Longer In County Jail

Officer Bill Busse No Longer With City of Joliet

Officer Busse's Trial Next Week, Glasgow's Office Not Ready