City of Joliet pays woman $15,200 to drop lawsuit against police officer

The quick settlement between a woman, the City of Joliet, an “unknown” Joliet police officer and another officer facing his third lawsuit since 2018 involves a payout of $15,200, city records show.

The City of Joliet agreed to pay $15,200 to Amanda Brown, 26, of Calumet City, in order to get her to drop her lawsuit against the city, Joliet Police Officer Nicholas Crowley and an “unknown” officer, according to the settlement agreement obtained by The Herald-News in a Freedom of Information Act request.

On May 27, Brown filed a lawsuit in Will County court that alleged Crowley and another officer approached her during a June 1, 2020, traffic stop and “detained her, physically removed her from her vehicle, arrested her, forced her to the ground, slammed her face into the ground and restrained her in handcuffs.”

Brown “suffered physical injuries to her face,” according to the lawsuit.

Crowley, the unnamed officer and the city of Joliet were named as defendants in the lawsuit.

Brown’s lawsuit was later transferred to federal court because her claims invoked alleged federal violations. On Aug. 18, a federal judge was informed by one of the city’s attorneys that a settlement had been reached.

As part of the settlement agreement, Brown agreed to drop her claims against the defendants and “acknowledge and agree this settlement is not an admission of liability for unconstitutional or wrongful conduct” by them.

Brown agreed to further “acknowledge that settlement is made solely to avoid the expense in time and money of further litigation,” according to the agreement.

City records show a voucher dated Aug. 25 for $15,200 from city was made payable to Brown and the Law Offices of Tedone and Morton. The law firm represented Brown her lawsuit.

On Tuesday, attorneys from the Law Offices of Tedone and Morton released a statement that said all claims in the lawsuit “have been settled and resolved and all pending litigation shall be dismissed.”

“We are satisfied with the result and Ms. Brown is pleased,” the attorneys’ statement read.

Brown’s lawsuit against Crowley is his third since 2018.

In 2018, Christopher Simenson sued Crowley and the city of Joliet in federal court over allegations that Crowley injured him during a 2016 arrest.

After a trial last year, a federal jury ruled in Simenson’s favor and awarded him about $7,770 in compensatory damages.

Also in 2018, Milbert Waters filed a federal lawsuit against Crowley, officer Arthur Arellano and the city of Joliet. Waters’ lawsuit claimed Crowley and Arellano arrested him in 2016, with no probable cause or legal justification.

Arellano was dismissed as a defendant in the case on Aug. 3, leaving Crowley and the city as remaining defendants in Waters’ lawsuit. The case remains pending in court.