Also, a former Oak Lawn employees pleads guilty to aggravated battery for an incident where he reportedly choked and pummeled a 14-year-old girl, and more Southland court cases.
The Southland's major criminal and civil cases heard in Cook County and Will County courts this week.
CHICAGO HEIGHTS - Chicago Heights Man Charged With Murder of Hometown Woman
Bail was set at $2 million for a Chicago Heights man accused of killing the mother of his two children. His next appearance is Aug. 15.
George Kleopa, 32, appeared before Cook County Judge Darron E. Bowden in Markham on Wednesday morning, where he was charged with first-degree murder of Michele V. Peters, 30, formerly of Hometown. Peters was found fatally shot with a gunshot wound to the face in the Chicago Heights home she shared with Kleopa on March 6.
NEW LENOX - Sex Abuse Case Against Bremen Teacher Continues
A New Lenox resident accused of fondling his students at Bremen High School returned to court Thursday.
Ross Larson, 26, of the 800 block of Western Avenue in New Lenox, was charged in January 2011 with indecent solicitation and aggravated criminal sexual abuse. The case remains in pretrial status and Larson is scheduled to be back in court on Aug. 28.
OAK LAWN - Former Village Employee Pleads Guilty to Choking 14-Year-Old Girl, Gets Probation
A Cook County judge sentenced Michael T. Kelly, 55, who was accused of choking and beating a 14-year-old girl last summer, to two years probation and anger management classes after Kelly pleaded guilty to aggravated battery on Thursday.
OAK LAWN - Couple Accused of Soliciting 16-Year-Old Girl For Sex
An Evergreen Park man and an Oak Lawn woman accused of sending sexually explicit photographs and text messages to a minor both appeared in court this week but will go before a judge for their next hearings separately.
James West, 26, remains in custody. He is represented by a public defender and will be back in court on Sept. 12. Lauren Papiez, 21, has retained private counsel and has a court date of Aug. 10.
ORLAND PARK - Man Charged in Wife's Murder Back in Court
Allan Kustok, 61, who has been charged with murder in the 2010 shooting death of his wife Anita “Jeanie” Kustok, appeared briefly in court this week. The assistant state's attorney in the case spoke to Kustok's defense about hiring a expert to challenge the prosecution's findings. A status hearing has been set for Aug. 31.
ORLAND PARK - State Doesn't Want Alleged Elderly Sex Abuse Victim to Face Accuser
A Cook County judge will rule next month on whether a statement reportedly made by an elderly sex abuse victim will be allowed in court or barred because it's hearsay.
Robert Phelan, 57, of Oak Lawn is accused of sexually assaulting the 93-year-old dementia patient while she was treated at an Orland Park care facility, where he was working as a nurse, according to prosecutors.
The prosecution requested that a statement reportedly made by the woman to another nurse immediately after the alleged assault be admitted rather than have the woman testify at the trial; the defense said the statement doesn't qualify as an exception to the hearsay rule.
ORLAND PARK - 'Ghost Rider' Will Have Status Hearing Next Month
Justin Jachimiec, who authorities say dodged and mocked Orland Park police on a stolen motorbike and then uploaded video taken from his helmet on YouTube under the nickname “Orland Ghost Rider, will have a status hearing on his case next month. The hearing has been set for Aug. 28.
PALOS — Hate Crime Trial Postponed, Defense Reviewing Battery Charge Against State's Key Witness
The trial of Mohammed Shaban, of Hickory Hills, and Akram Alshoweat, of Oak Lawn, on hate crime and robbery charges was postponed Tuesday, July 24, the day the trial was set to begin.
Hickory Hills police said Shaban and Alshoweat battered and robbed a woman they believed to be a lesbian on June 28, 2010, outside a restaurant. The two are claiming self-defense.
Attorneys for the defendants say they want to review felony aggravated battery of a police officer charge against the prosecution's key witness, John Mitsis. They also intend to file a motion to admit circumstances surrounding the case as evidence against Mitsis' character. Judge Colleen Ann Hyland is expected to rule on the issue on Aug. 21.
NEW LENOX - Coma Beating Trial Postponed Again as Reported Photos Investigated
The trial of a New Lenox man charged with punching a Joliet man into a coma during a bar fight in July 2009 in Mokena was postponed until July 30. The defense attorney for Joseph Messina, 23, asked for more time to investigate exactly how copies of photos reportedly shot by the Mokena police were processed.
Previously, Mokena police said they couldn't find a crucial photo that showed Messina's hand following the incident. Later, a police officer said he didn't remember taking the photo.
JOLIET - Peterson Jury Picked, Trial Set to Start
The final five jurors and four alternate jurors were picked Tuesday for Drew Peterson's much anticipated murder trial. The jury that gets to hear Brodsky's Gettysburg Address Monday will be comprised of seven men and five women. Eight of the jurors were selected Monday but one was excused because he had already booked a prepaid vacation in August.
MONDAY
Evergreen Park woman allegedly left four disabled men in a hot van
TUESDAY
Trio charged in Oak Lawn home invasion
WEDNESDAY
Oak Lawn doctor accused of fondling patients
NL Police Seize Drugs From Man's Home for Second Time in a Year
Frankfort Cop Arrested for Battery in Mokena
Police Blotter: Pregnant Woman Beaten, Bullets Fly on Boston Street
Woman Tricked Into Buying Wooden Computer
UPDATE: Former City Attorney's House 'Completely Destroyed' Inside, Police Say
FBI Searching for Hickory Hills Bank Robbery Suspect
Area Murder Suspect Arrested in Tinley
Feds: Tinley Condo Involved in Bribery Scandal
Allison
2:38 pm on Saturday, July 28, 2012
Wait a second: that guy who hurt that 14 year old girl ISN'T going to receive jail time?! If I were the parents, I would be SO mad.
Linda Vargas
12:41 pm on Sunday, July 29, 2012
A 14 year old girl choked by a 55 year old man, and he gets No jail time. Who is the judge in this case? I want to know so I do NOT vote for this judge. Also, I will let everyone I know who this judge is, the results of this case, and let them vote how they see fit.
Baba Wawa
12:52 pm on Sunday, July 29, 2012
You won't be able to vote for the judge. He's an associate judge, and as such, he never runs for retention on any ballot. Full circuit judges vote on associate judges.
And even if he did run for retention, it's highly probable you'd never remember him or this case when it came time to vote.