Woman Sues Harrah’s Joliet After Attack by Barred Person

A woman from Joliet is taking Harrah’s Casino and Hotel to court. She claims the business did not stop a known dangerous person from entering the property. This led to a severe beating and theft in her hotel room.

Lawsuit Claims Harrah’s Failed to Block Known Offender Who Later Attacked Guest

Dana Bass, 46, has filed a civil lawsuit against Harrah’s in Will County. She claims the casino was careless in letting Marquel Jimerson, 30, enter the property without any checks. Jimerson was on the casino’s banned list. Despite orders keeping him out, he managed to check in on February 6, 2024, after showing his ID to the front desk staff.

Court papers say the staff did not try to stop or keep an eye on Jimerson’s movements. This allowed him to go to the upper floors and reach Bass’s room. Security cameras caught his movements inside the hotel, but security guards did not act right away.

Based on testimony from another criminal trial, Jimerson broke into Bass’s room, where he beat her up and told her to give him money. He hit her multiple times and said he would kill her. He also took her ID papers and cash. Someone else in the room got away and told security. Police later found Jimerson hiding behind the door and arrested him.

Assault Victim Seeks Damages, Citing Harrah’s History of Lax Security

Jimerson has stayed in the Will County Jail since police caught him. In August 2024, a court said he was guilty of several serious crimes, including robbery and domestic battery. The judge will decide his punishment on June 27.

Bass wants more than $50,000 in damages. She claims Harrah’s did not do its job to keep guests safe and did not have enough well-trained security guards. Her lawyers say this led to her getting hurt and still feeling scared.

This is not the first time something bad has happened at the Joliet casino. Back in 2019, a homeless person snuck into Harrah’s and stabbed a 76-year-old guest to death. That case ended up in court, and the casino’s parent company, Caesars Entertainment, settled it. Bass’s lawyers argue that Harrah’s has shown it cannot enforce its own safety rules time and again, putting guests in danger. This lawsuit might show if past events have led to any real changes in how the casino handles security.