Officer Nick Crowley's Bench Trial Comes To An End

JOLIET, IL - Will County Judge Daniel Kennedy gave strong vibes on Tuesday afternoon that he did not want the criminal trial for Joliet Police Officer Nick Crowley to drag on in his courtroom. By mid-afternoon on Wednesday, the judge got his wish. The special prosecutor trying to convict Crowley of two counts of reckless discharge of a firearm, stemming from an incident last July, finished her case.

At that point, it was up to Crowley and his criminal defense lawyer, Jeff Tomczak of The Tomczak Law Group. The lawyer then informed Judge Kennedy that the defense had rested. Tomczak chose not to call any witnesses. He decided not to put Crowley on the witness stand to testify in his own defense.

On Tuesday afternoon and again on Wednesday, the court heard from Cassandra "Cassie" Socha, Crowley's fiancee. She made it clear during Tuesday's trial testimony that she was not a victim of any domestic violence inside of her Joliet townhouse.

Crowley never hit her and he never pushed her, she testified.

She testified that Crowley fired his gun into the ceiling of her townhouse during the wee morning hours of July 16, 2017 after her rescue pit bull named Gia began growling and tried to bite her.

Before the gun incident, the two off-duty Joliet Police officers had been drinking at parties, restaurants and bars all throughout the day around New Lenox and Joliet before they drove home together from Anthony's Steakhouse & Pub near the Louis Joliet Mall shortly after 3 a.m.

On Wednesday, the prosecution also called as witnesses a couple members of the Joliet Police Department who responded to the townhouse on Mustang Road last July including an evidence technician. Another witness for the prosecution was the mother of a former boyfriend of Socha's. Maria Gatlin insisted that the Joliet Police be called about the gun incident inside of Socha's townhouse.

At the conclusion of Wednesday's trial, Judge Kennedy informed both sides he was taking the case under advisement. He told the lawyers and Crowley to be back in his courtroom at 10 a.m. on Tuesday. That's when Kennedy will render his verdict on the two felony reckless discharge of a firearm charges.

If convicted of a felony, Crowley's career at the Joliet Police Department is over. If he is found not guilty, the City of Joliet is expected to reinstate him back to his previous duties as a patrol officer.

Day 1 Testimony: Rescue Pit Bull Blamed For Officer Crowley's Gun Discharge

Main image via Joliet Patch