Ex-Joliet officer indicted in federal court for 2012 beating

(CHICAGO) Federal prosecutors have indicted a former Joliet police officer in the 2012 beating of a suspect three years after jurors in state court acquitted him in the case.

The U.S. Attorney’s office on Wednesday accused 40-year-old Thomas O’Connor of Joliet of using unreasonable force while on duty Feb. 9, 2012. Will County jurors found O’Connor not guilty in June 2013 of aggravated battery charges stemming from the incident. Authorities said O’Connor repeatedly punched Shantique Jackson, who claimed O’Connor broke her nose, among other injuries. O’Connor was responding to Jackson’s report of a fight with her boyfriend.

The (Joliet) Herald-News reported O’Connor was fired from the Joliet Police Department after the incident.

Defense attorney Jeff Tomczak expressed disappointment with the action by federal prosecutors, adding a jury was presented with all the evidence and found O’Connor’s actions justified.

O’Connor is to be arraigned Tuesday.

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