Ex-Joliet cop’s domestic battery case gets new trial date

A judge has pushed for a domestic battery case against a former Joliet police officer to go to trial, even though the alleged victim has expressed reluctance to participate in the case.

On Monday, Judge Brian Barrett scheduled the trial for former Joliet Police Officer William Busse, 39, to begin on Jan. 17.

Barrett also placed a material witness bond on Busse’s ex-wife, the alleged victim in the case. As a condition of the bond, she must appear in court for the trial on Jan. 17 or a warrant may issue for her arrest.

“I don’t want to do that,” Barrett told Busse’s ex-wife, who was in court on Monday.

Barrett said he reviewed the charges against Busse and the three protective orders that his ex-wife petitioned against him in 2019. Barrett said there have been significant allegations made against Busse by his ex-wife.

“I do not take that lightly,” Barrett said.

Barrett said there must be a trial in the interest of justice and of the public.

Busse’s ex-wife told the judge that she has been “going through a considerable amount of stress.”

Since an Oct. 3 court hearing, Busse has retained a new attorney, Amy Seamann, of the law firm Sam L. Amirante & Associates in Des Plaines. His previous attorney was Patty Kalkanis of The Tomczak Law Group in Joliet.

Seamann told Barrett that Busse’s ex-wife has communicated to the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office her wish to not proceed with the case against Busse.

Seamann said Busse’s ex-wife wishes to move forward with her life and she has reconciled with Busse.

In 2019, Busse was arrested twice in New Lenox on charges accusing him of battering his ex-wife on May 18, 2019 and Dec. 29, 2019.

Busse was also been charged with resisting the arrest of a New Lenox police officer and violating the conditions of his bond by making contact with his ex-wife on Dec. 29, 2019.

In February 2020, former Joliet Police Chief Al Roechner had recommended Busse’s termination from the police department, yet Busse remained on the force until last year.

On May 5, 2021, Joliet City Manager James Capparelli, police union attorney Tamara Cummings and Busse signed a settlement agreement ending his employment as a police officer on June 4, 2021.