Joliet Cop Nick Crowley Faces Another Excessive Force Lawsuit

JOLIET, IL — Just one year after the city of Joliet lost a federal lawsuit in Chicago involving Joliet police officer Nick Crowley's use of excessive force during his 2016 arrest of Christopher Simonsen, Crowley is facing another excessive force lawsuit.

The latest lawsuit against Crowley and the city of Joliet was filed by attorney Anthony Tomkiewicz of the downtown Joliet law firm Tedone & Morton. The North Chicago Street law firm is representing Amanda J. Brown as their plaintiff.

Their lawsuit accuses Crowley of excessive use of force as well as false arrest.

"Amanda J. Brown prays for entry of judgment in her favor and against defendant Officer Crowley in a sum in excess of $50,000," the Will County Courthouse lawsuit states.

The lawsuit alleges that Crowley and another unnamed officer used excessive force in physically detaining, arresting and handcuffing Brown and slamming her face to the ground.

"Based on information and belief, prior to June 1, 2020, there existed prior instances involving the excessive use of force by Crowley," the lawsuit outlined. "Defendant city of Joliet, by deliberate indifference, if not actual knowledge, was aware of the prior instances of the use of excessive force and prior instances of false arrest by Crowley and failed to discipline and or train Crowley regarding using excessive force and making false arrests."

Will County court records showed no criminal charges were filed against Brown by the Will County State's Attorney's Office following her encounter with Crowley and members of the Joliet Police Department.

In March, Joliet Patch produced a lengthy investigative story chronicling how the city of Joliet and Crowley lost a federal lawsuit last summer involving an excessive force case.

Last year's decision by City Manager Jim Capparelli and Joliet's City Council not to reach an out-of-court settlement in the 2018 excessive force lawsuit brought against Crowley ultimately cost Joliet's taxpayers more than $220,000, the Joliet Patch analysis found.

In 2018, Winnetka attorney Ian Barney of Barney & Hourihane filed a civil rights lawsuit against Crowley and Joliet stemming from the arrest of Joliet resident Christopher Simenson on May 28, 2016, in downtown Joliet.

The Itasca law firm defending Crowley and the city of Joliet denied any wrongdoing, and instead of reaching an out-of-court settlement, attorneys Michael Bersani and David Mathues chose to take the city's case to a jury trial, which they ended up losing last summer.

Because the plaintiff won, Joliet was also forced to pay the legal bills for Simenson's lawyer. And those legal bills topped $100,000.