Joliet Murder Defendant Pays Too Much For Jail Snacks: Lawsuit

JOLIET, IL — Is the cost of the Honey Buns, assorted Jolly Ranchers, oatmeal raisin cookies and the jalapeno-flavored Frito-Lay chips unreasonable for the inmates living inside the Will County Adult Detention Facility?

A 42-year-old Crest Hill resident arrested by Joliet police on June 12, 2020, in connection with first-degree murder charges filed a pro se lawsuit this week against several Will County Sheriff's officials alleging the Will County Jail's commissary prices are unreasonable.

Nathaniel Hill filed his Will County civil lawsuit against Sheriff Mike Kelley, jail warden Dale Santerelli, Will County Deputy Chief Dave Adams and a host of others. Hill does not have a lawyer for his court action. He's representing himself.

"Starting in the month of July 2021, I myself, Nathaniel Hill and several Will County Adult Detention Facility inmates wrote grievances about the extreme high commissary prices," Hill's lawsuit begins. "If you look at the prison and jail standard code ... it states in black and white that all prison and jails are entitled to have reasonable commissary prices that all detainees can afford."

Hill's lawsuit goes on to allege that "The Will County Adult Detention Facility is clearly making (their) own rules by violating the prison and jail policy by selling all detainees very high-priced commissary, which is a violation of all detainees rights."

Hill states that "Will County Jail also shows detainees a major indifference by only allowing certain detainees, Will County POD workers and tenders, to buy certain items. All detainees should be treated equally."

According to Hill's lawsuit, he has "well-documented high blood pressure, mental disorders, anxiety, PTSD, depression (that) have been aggravated and raised, and the plaintiff has been put through unneeded stress mentally and financially due to the above defendants continually violating the plaintiffs noted Constitutional rights ... and depriving the plaintiff of reasonable rates for commissary. The stress, anxiety, depression, high blood pressure, has caused the defendant headaches and stomach pains and a lost (sic) of appetite. Left with no choices, the defendant filed a new civil complaint with the court."

Hill has asked that a Will County jury award him $1 million "for pain and suffering."

"The plaintiff demands that the case be tried by jury," Hill's lawsuit stated.

In June 2020, Joliet Patch reported that Joliet police detectives arrested Hill within 24 hours of an overnight homicide in the 1100 block of Richards Street. Hill was charged with first-degree murder in the gunshot death of 32-year-old Derrick Williams-Scott of Joliet. Williams suffered multiple gunshot wounds as he was standing on the front steps of a house around midnight, on June 12, 2020.

Hill's bail has been set at $5 million, and he remains in custody more than a year later as he awaits his eventual trial.

When contacted about Hill's lawsuit, Will County Sheriff's Office spokeswoman Kathy Hoffmeyer told Joliet Patch that her agency does not comment on pending lawsuits.

The following document is a court exhibit submitted by Hill as part of his lawsuit against the Will County Sheriff's Office.