Evanston Man Accused Of Strangulation, Unlawful Restraint In Skokie

SKOKIE, IL — An Evanston man faces two felony charges following his arrest at a Skokie apartment Wednesday morning.

Nathan Palmer, 22, was filmed on video surveillance cameras strangling and striking a minor whom he illegally detained in her own home, according to Cook County prosecutors, who approved charges of aggravated unlawful restraint and aggravated domestic battery.

For the past two and a half years, Palmer has been dating a girl who is currently under the age of 18, Assistant State's Attorney Jenna Reinhardt said Thursday in Skokie at Palmer's initial court appearance.

Skokie police were called to the girl's home on Tuesday after she and Palmer got into an argument outside, Reinhardt said. Officers asked Palmer to leave, and the girl initially blocked his number, but later that evening, once she was home alone, she invited Palmer back to her apartment, according to the prosecutor.

Reinhardt said Palmer pushed his way into the girl's house, grabbed her by the hair, struck her in the head and strangled her. Palmer then took the girl's phone and detained her in her basement bedroom throughout Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning.

"[Palmer] would follow [the girl] as she left the bedroom. When both parties lay down to sleep, [Palmer] would threaten [her] if she appeared to be leaving the bed," Reinhardt said. "[She] felt afraid and believed that she could not leave the home due to [Palmer's] threats."

A parent of the girl returned home Wednesday morning, found Palmer there and became upset, according to the prosecutor. Skokie police were dispatched after a 911 call from the home and took Palmer into custody, the prosecutor said.

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Palmer has a pair of prior felony convictions, both from 2019, for charges of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon and escape, according to Reinhardt. The prosecutor said he also has misdemeanor convictions from the prior year for charges of theft and resisting arrest.

Palmer is a student at Oakton Community College who takes care of his mother, according to Assistant Public Defender Greg Kobus, who represented him at Thursday's hearing.

Cook County Circuit Judge Lorraine Murphy ordered Palmer to remain jailed unless he can come up with the $10,000 cash portion of his bond.

"I am considering the violence of this crime, and the possible physical harm or threat of physical harm to this victim here," Murphy said. "I am considering how much the defendant says he's able to post. However, in this type of case with domestic violence, there is a risk to the victim in this case."

Murphy also granted a plenary order of protection to the girl, which forbids Palmer from having any contact with her while the criminal case remains pending. Palmer was served with the order in open court.

Skokie police did not respond to a request for information about the case on Thursday.

Palmer is due back in court June 23 for a preliminary hearing.