JOLIET — Three-and-half years after Joliet police officer Brian Lanton shot Cunningham neighborhood resident Cord Whitmore in the chest at Whitmore’s mother’s house where he lived, the Joliet 33-year-old now finds himself facing a new charge: obstructing a peace officer.
A criminal complaint submitted by the Joliet Police Department indicates Whitmore knowingly obstructed the performance of Officer M. Long during a traffic stop investigation, back on June 30. The court records indicate Whitmore pulled away or refused commands to remain in a specific location on the scene of the traffic stop, and Whitmore refused to submit to handcuffing.
Joliet Patch wrote several stories about the non-fatal shooting of Whitmore in 2021.
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That Jan. 28, after a neighbor called in a disturbance, Joliet police went to the 1200 block of Nicholson Street. Whitmore lives at the house with his mother, and she was not home at the time of the shooting.
Whitmore was shot three times by Officer Lanton.
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“Upon arrival, officers spoke with Cordairel M. Whitmore on scene. It was reported to members of the task force, that one of the officers went to his squad car to obtain paperwork on mental health facilities to provide to Whitmore,” Joliet police said at the time. “As Cordairel M. Whitmore was speaking with Joliet Police Officer Brian Lanton on the front porch of the residence, the offender produced what appeared to be a handgun and pointed it at Officer Brian Lanton.”
According to his 2021 criminal complaint, Whitmore displayed a BB gun, knowing Lanton was a police officer performing duties. Prosecutors maintained that Whitmore’s behavior on Jan. 28, 2021, placed Lanton “in reasonable apprehension of receiving a battery.”
The Will Grundy Major Crimes Task Force announced that Officer Lanton was justified in his shooting of Whitmore, who spent a few days recovering from his gunshot wounds at St. Joe’s hospital before being booked into the Will County Jail. Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow subsequently charged Whitmore with aggravated assault.
Last October, court files show, Whitmore signed a Will County Mental Health Court Contract in connection with his sentence for aggravated assault.
Whitmore requested admission to Mental Health Court for treatment of his mental illness “and help with the aspects of my behavior that have led me to break the law … I also understand that if I do not comply, the court will sanction me,” court documents reflect. “If I successfully complete Mental Health Court … (the) Judge reserves his right pursuant to statute to dismiss (the) case upon successful graduation.” Although Whitmore would be convicted, his sentenced of 12 months conditional discharge would count as time already served, court files showed.
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