Repeat Domestic Abuser Shoves Girlfriend Down Stairs: Prosecutor

ORLAND PARK, IL -- An Orland Park man with a history of domestic violence shoved his girlfriend down a flight of stairs when she wouldn’t give him money for his business, prosecutors said. Jamol Martin, 32, appeared before Cook County Judge Peter Felice on charges of domestic battery causing bodily harm and unlawful interference with reporting domestic violence. Martin has a pending case of unlawful use of a firearm and is on probation for another domestic battery conviction

The prosecutor said that Martin and his girlfriend have been in a dating relationship for five years and share a home in the 14800 block of Holly Court in Orland Park. During the morning of Jan. 2, the girlfriend was working on her laptop and Martin was on the phone with his business partner in Florida. Martin complained that he couldn’t go anywhere because his car was impounded, the prosecutor said. His girlfriend gave him $3,000 to get his car out of hock, when he allegedly demanded more money for his business.

According to the charges, when the girlfriend refused to give Martin money for his business, he began flicking his fingers off her forehead, the prosecutor said. He kicked her Bluetooth speaker, then went to take a shower. The woman’s sister, who worked for the girlfriend's cleaning business, arrived to clean the house. She poured the girlfriend a cup of coffee when Martin emerged from the shower wearing boxing shorts. The prosecutor said Martin poured the coffee on to his girlfriend.

Martin then called his business partner and told him to shut the business down because his girlfriend would not give him money to keep it going, the prosecutor said. The girlfriend went upstairs and put Martin’s clothes on the stairwell, as her sister cleaned in another part of the house. Informing Martin that she was kicking him out, he allegedly dragged her into the hallway.

The girlfriend threw a bottle at him in self-defense. Martin allegedly tried to push her down the stairs and she was able to keep her balance. The prosecutor said that Martin pushed her a second time and she went feet over head down the stairs, smacking her face on the door. Her sister heard them arguing and called 911. While talking to the Orland Park police dispatcher, Martin allegedly grabbed the phone out of the sister’s hand and complained to police that his girlfriend was throwing “knives and bottles” at him.

Police said Martin called his business partner and tried to procure him as a witness. While at the Orland Park police station, Martin texted his girlfriend saying, “please baby,” according to the charges.
Martin’s attorney told the judge that his client is the father of seven children. He said Martin denied “laying a hand on her.” His business partner saw the argument on Facetime over his client’s phone.

The prosecutor said that Martin has a dozen prior misdemeanor convictions, including domestic battery and child endangerment. He has three prior domestic battery convictions, one involving his current girlfriend, according to court records. In November, he was accused of punching holes into the drywall, then threatening his girlfriend, “this is what will happen to your face next time.”

“He’s a danger to society, to the victim and to himself,” Felice said, ordering Martin to be held without bail. “I do it based on all the violence in his background and trying to procure a witness in this case.”

Martin is to stay away from his girlfriend and her family while the case is pending. He was also ordered to turn in any firearms he may have to Orland Park police. Violations of bond and probation were also issued. Martin is due back in court Jan. 25 in Bridgeview.