Terry D'Arcy Mayor | City of Joliet
Terry D'Arcy Mayor | City of Joliet
A federal jury has found in favor of Joliet Police Sergeant Edward Grizzle in a civil rights lawsuit brought by retired Sergeant Dwayne Killian. The case, Dwayne Killian v. Sergeant Edward Grizzle, Deputy Chief Robert Brown, Sergeant Raul Alvarez, Officer Ryan Shaw, and Chief William Evans (Case No. 23 CV 3741), was heard in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division.
Killian’s lawsuit claimed his June 2022 arrest was a false arrest and violated his Fourth Amendment rights. The arrest stemmed from an investigation into the alleged unauthorized possession of equipment belonging to the Tri-County Auto Theft Task Force and the failure to return the equipment after multiple directives.
The court dismissed all claims against the City of Joliet and four officers—Deputy Chief Robert Brown, Sergeant Raul Alvarez, Officer Ryan Shaw, and Chief William Evans—before trial by granting summary judgment in their favor. The sole remaining claim against Sergeant Grizzle proceeded to a jury trial. After hearing testimony from five witnesses, the jury deliberated for less than two hours before finding that Grizzle had not violated Killian’s constitutional rights.
“We are pleased with both the court’s and the jury’s decisions, which confirm that the city and its officers acted lawfully and appropriately,” said Interim Corporation Counsel Todd Lenzie. “This outcome reflects the City’s commitment to upholding constitutional protections while supporting the integrity of our law enforcement personnel.”
Attorneys David Mathues and Ahmed Kosoko of Hervas, Condon & Bersani, P.C. represented the City of Joliet at trial. The city has stated it remains committed to transparency, accountability, and fair administration of justice for all residents.
Joliet is located in Will and Kendall counties in Illinois, about 30 miles southwest of Chicago. It is the county seat of Will County and had a population of 150,362 at the 2020 census. More information about Joliet can be found at https://www.joliet.gov.
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