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The family of two slain men were permitted to view police body camera video of the incident that led to their deaths after they filed a lawsuit seeking access to the footage.
The private viewing took place Tuesday at the Will County Sheriff’s Office, according to a statement from attorney Ian Barney.
“The family is not making any comment at this time and they ask that they be given privacy as they process this tragedy and continue to grieve the loss of their loved ones,” Barney said.
Barney said he and attorney Madison Heckel accompanied the family to the private viewing.
Barney is representing Sadie Mitchell, sister of Eldred Wells, 70, and Rhonda Mitchell, Eldred Wells’ daughter and the mother of Jabbar Muhammad, 21, in a Freedom of Information Act lawsuit filed April 11.
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Muhammad was gunned down by deputies as he stabbed Eldred Wells to death Nov. 6, 2021, in Joliet Township, according to the Will County Sheriff’s Office. The incident is being investigated by the Will-Grundy Major Crimes Task Force.
The April 11 lawsuit claims Muhammad was shot multiple times in the face and that Eldred Wells also was shot multiple times, including once in the back.
Romeoville Police Chief Ken Kroll, the task force spokesman, did not respond to questions about those allegations or other allegations in the suit. Kroll only said, “This is an open and active investigation.”
The lawsuit alleges Will County Sheriff Mike Kelley, Will County Coroner Laurie Summers and their respective offices, violated the Freedom of Information Act by failing to produce the requested body camera videos and death reports.
The lawsuit claims that a lead investigator and a commander from the task force told the plaintiffs through their attorney that they did not believe showing body camera video to the family would “obstruct or interfere with their investigation.”
The lawsuit said the task force completed its witness interviews in December and turned its materials over to prosecutors.
“Nevertheless, five months on from the incident, neither the family of Jabbar and Eldred Sr. nor any representative of the family has been given the opportunity to view the body camera videos despite repeated requests,” according to the lawsuit.