Joliet police sergeant who leaked Eric Lurry video plans to retire

A Joliet police sergeant charged with unlawfully accessing the video of an arrested man overdosing in a squad vehicle plans to retire July 20.

On Monday, Sgt. Javier Esqueda announced his July 20 retirement in a public post on his Facebook page. Esqueda wrote that he will not be having a retirement party or celebration until he is either vindicated or found not guilty in court “for crimes I did not [commit].”

“Then when those who sought to harm me are prosecuted and our fight for Justice for Eric Lurry is victorious, then and only then I will celebrate,” Esqueda wrote.

Esqueda is scheduled to go to trial in November on Kendall County charges accusing him of official misconduct for unlawfully accessing a Joliet police squad video that was evidence in a Will-Grundy Major Crimes Task Force investigation of the Jan. 29, 2020 death of 37-year-old Eric Lurry.

Eric Lurry Jr., who died on Jan. 29, after he was arrested by the Joliet police. Nicole Lurry, his wife, is suing the City of Joliet and four police officers over his death. — Eric Lurry Jr., died on Jan. 29 after he was arrested by the Joliet police. Nicole Lurry, his wife, is suing the city of Joliet and four police officers over his death. (Photo provided)

Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow cleared Joliet police officers involved in the Lurry incident of any wrongdoing over Lurry’s arrest.

“Mr. Lurry, a felon who served prison time for multiple offenses dating back to 1998, voluntarily chose to ingest the fatal doses of these illicit drugs while sitting in the back seat of a police vehicle after being apprehended by the Joliet Police Department for distributing drugs to another individual on [Jan. 28, 2020],” Glasgow said.

In Esqueda’s Facebook post, he said he’s been on administrate leave since July 6, 2020, following his arrest “by my own Department for blowing the whistle on the coverup of the death of Eric Lurry at the hands of several fellow officers.” He said out of 280 officers in the department, only “about 12 talk to me.”

Javier Esqueda during a status hearing at the Kendall County Courthouse. Esqueda faces official misconduct charges for leaking video of Eric Lurry’s arrest. Lurry died from a drug overdose. Tuesday, June 14, 2022 in Yorkville. (Gary Middendorf - gmiddendorf@shawnedia.com/Gary Middendorf)

He said he decided to retire because he wanted to able to enjoy his life with his wife and son and he can’t “fight for Justice for myself and Eric Lurry while still employed by the City of Joliet.”

“My freedom of speech is hindered,” Esqueda said.

When contacted by the Herald-News on Monday, Esqueda said, “I will never talk to you guys to ever give any interview after what you guys have done to me and have not told the truth yet. Take it easy,” before hanging up.

Joliet police spokesman Dwayne English confirmed Esqueda is set to retire July 20. He said it was his understanding that the internal investigation regarding Esqueda leaking the Lurry video is being handled by an outside firm and referred questions to Joliet’s Legal Department.

Joliet Corporation Counsel Sabrina Spano said the legal department did not handle the internal affairs investigation of Esqueda and referred questions about the investigation to the Joliet Police Department.

Nicole Lurry, Eric Lurry’s widow, filed a federal lawsuit Aug. 3, 2020, that alleged her husband’s death was caused by Joliet police Sgt. Doug May, lieutenant Jeremy Harrison and officers Andrew McCue and Jose Tellez.

Nicole Lurry’s lawsuit claimed McCue forced a baton into Eric Lury’s mouth and May slapped his face, saying “Wake up, (expletive)!” and pinched his nose shut while retrieving the narcotics without medical assistance.