Yolanda Beck, who has a long history of drug arrests, faces one misdemeanor count of endangering the life and health of a child, according to police.
]]> And since she reportedly admitted to police that she consumed the drugs and left the pieces of foil within the child's reach, her Chicago criminal attorney doesn't have too many options for a defense.The boy is said to be in good condition and was taken into the care of another relative, according to a spokesman for the state Dept. of Children and Family Services. The agency is in the process of investigating allegations of neglect by both the mother and grandmother of the child.
No other children were present in the home, according to police.
Although Yolanda Beck was arrested for drug possession at least four times, most recently in February of this year, she was never convicted of the charges. She pleaded guilty to prostitution two years ago and was sentenced to three years of court supervision.
She was ordered held on $7,500 bail for the current charge and is expected to appear in court for a hearing on Aug. 10.
Child endangerment is one form of child abuse, usually applied to cases in which a parent or legal guardian has neglected or otherwise breached his or her duty of care for a child, according to FindLaw.
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Randall Caudill's counsel, Chicago criminal defense attorney Jeff Fawell, said he is trying to lower his client's bail so he can be with his family as he awaits trial:
]]> The defendant Robert Caudill has spent the past nine years as an officer in Downers Grove, after a two-year stint with the DuPage County sheriff's office. His father is a deputy sheriff and his wife works for DuPage County's probation department."He's not a flight risk. He has three kids he adores and would never abandon."
DuPage County investigators received a tip earlier this year alleging Randall Caudill was involved in some sort of illegal activity. He was captured on video and audio tape closing a deal to help the informant and the undercover officer rob a suspected drug dealer. The informant reportedly told the Randall Caudill that the suspected dealer was known to carry a lot of cash.
Randall Caudill, the informant, and the undercover cop then hatched a plot to pull over their marks under the guise of a routine traffic stop before robbing him, according to prosecutor Helen Kapas-Erdman. She claims he then used his police computer to obtain personal information about the suspected dealer and his associates.
The informant told Randall Caudill that their mark owed him $30,000 and that he likely would have between $30,000 and $100,000 in cash on his person, according to the Chicago Tribune. The defendant then would get an unspecified cut of the stolen cash, according to prosecutors.
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Victim Larry Brown accidentally caused minor damage to Steven Fox's car when he was returning home early in the early hours of June 17, according to assistant state's attorney Yolanda Lippert. He reportedly didn't even know his car grazed the other car, so he left it parked in front of his home.
Edward Brown and Steven Fox followed him, starting yelling and then attacked him with his fists, according to Yolanda Lippert.
]]> Neither of the two defendants were quoted but Chicago criminal defense attorney E. Powell Dunham told reporters that his clients walked Larry Brown home and that he had no injuries at the time. He also claims that the father agreed that nicking Steven Fox's car was wrong and allegedly asked them to give him an estimate for the damage.But he was unable to provide a theory for how the man was beaten up so badly that he died.
The ensuing commotion woke Larry Brown's parents and his father unsuccessfully begged the men to stop beating up his son, Yolanda Lippert said. They continued after showing the victim's father the scratch on the car; as if that were justification for the severe beating.
Larry Brown became unconscious as he lay on the sidewalk, while the two defendants reportedly fled the scene. He was taken to a hospital but slipped into a coma and later died. The Cook County Medical Examiner's Office said blunt head trauma was the cause of death.
Edward Brown was ordered held on $1 million bail and Steven Fox was ordered held on $750,000 bail.
Steven Fox's MySpace page attempts to explain the street credentials behind his rap music:
"His music represents his life, Dealing with life's issues himself makes it easier for him to make music that people can relate to and understand the hustle."
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Sadly, Chicago criminal defense attorneys have no shortage of new clients as the city grapples with an escalation of violent crime. The slaying of Michael Bailey, who was less than one month away from retirement, marks the third killing of a Chicago officer in two months.
]]> Mark Donahue, president of the Fraternal Order of Police, said the department is simply understaffed:"The manpower situation in the Chicago Police Department is bad. Guys are out there every day telling us they have to wait for backup. And we're advising them to wait for backup for their own safety."
A former high-ranking police officer, who asked to remain anonymous, said felons no longer fear the police. The hiring slowdown has left the department understaffed by more than 2,000 officers. But Mayor Richard Daley said he found a way to pay for the additional officers in a time of record budget deficits.
The mayor knew slain officer Michael Bailey personally and described him as "a wonderful guy." He had just finished his shift guarding the mayor's town house in the South Loop and was cleaning his car outside his Park Manor home when an apparent robbery gone wrong left him dead.
Officer Thor Soderberg was shot dead on July 7 outside an Englewood police building and Officer Thomas Wortham IV was killed on May 19 by three men who were trying to steal his motorcycle near his parents' Chatham home.
Statistics say Chicago's streets are getting increasingly dangerous for officers, with reported incidents of assault and battery nearly doubling in 2008 from figures reported in 2003.
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Pat Barry, a spokesman for Will County Sheriff Paul Kaupas, said the alleged stabbing took place last Wednesday evening in a parking lot at Indian Trail School. Frankfort Township fire fighters arrived first on the scene and found the 18-year-old victim on the ground with a slashed neck and a stab wound in the abdomen.
]]> Jeff Tomczak, the Chicago criminal attorney representing Matthew Moustis, said the only evidence the prosecution has is the victim's statement. He also suggested that the attack may have been in self-defense:"I can tell you that there will be evidence of threats coming from the victim to the defendant."
The victim claims Matthew Moustis and an accompanying 16-year-old girl stabbed him. The teenage girl was not charged with a crime and the incident remained under investigation as of last Friday.
Police have not released the identity of the minor victim, who claims he was driving on 80th Ave. in Frankfort Township when he noticed he was being followed by Matthew Moustis. Both drivers stopped their cars at the school parking lot and got out.
Someone pulled a knife and fight ensued.
Matthew Moustis was in the Will County jail, participating in the hearing via a video link, as the victim told his story. Meanwhile, Jim Moustis and his wife said nothing and dodged reporters on the way out after the hearing.
The victim was taken to St. James Hospital and later flown to Christ Hospital in Oak Lawn. Matthew Moustis posted $5,000, or 10 percent of the $50,000 bond, and was released last Thursday night.
His next court date is scheduled for Aug. 4.
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Prosecutors finished up with a testimony by Patrick Magoon, CEO of Children's Memorial Hospital. He said that less than a week after then-Governor Rod Blagojevich pledged $10 million in state funds for the hospital, his brother called and asked him for a $25,000 campaign donation:
]]> Sam Adam Jr., one of Rod Blagojevich's Chicago criminal defense attorneys, asked Patrick Magoon if he contacted the governor after Robert Blagojevich called about the donation to ask if it was conditional. He answered, "No." Then Robert Blagojevich's lawyer, Michael Ettinger, asked him if he was threatened, to which he answered, "No.""I felt threatened; I felt at risk, and I felt a little angry. But what caused me the greatest concern was that the governor had the sole power... I felt the commitment could be rescinded."
Curiously, especially since Rod Blagojevich always seemed to take the opportunity to publicly discuss his support for child's health care, Patrick Magoon testified that the governor said he needed to keep the hospital funding pledge private.
The hospital finally received the promised money more than one month after the disgraced governor was arrested.
Lobbyist and former Rod Blagojevich fund-raiser John Wyma, testifying on condition of immunity, said he sat in on a meeting where the governor allegedly discussed demanding a campaign contribution before he would fund the hospital. He eventually withdrew from the governor's team:
"It made me uncomfortable."
He also testified that the former governor planned to withhold a multi-billion road improvement project unless a road-building executive contributed $50,000 to his campaign.
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Now her Chicago criminal defense attorney has the unenviable task of defending against charges of attempted murder, aggravated arson, heinous battery and aggravated domestic battery.
]]> Cook County prosecutors said Lisa Baywood often threw hot water on the 61-year-old man when he refused to give her money. And sometimes she allegedly threatened to "burn his ass up" and would light matches near an aerosol hair spray can to scare him.The 42-year-old woman, who has been previously convicted of prostitution, finally made good on her threats. She allegedly doused their bed with gasoline, claiming she was trying to destroy bed bugs, and then splashed some on the victim's chest.
He screamed for help and said he couldn't see as he ran to the kitchen door in an attempt to escape; but assistant state's attorney Lorraine Scaduto said Lisa Baywood blocked him and then torched him with a lighter. She told authorities that she expected her boyfriend to give her $150 to $200 from his monthly retirement and disability checks so she could pay bills, in an apparent attempt to justify her actions.
She also said the victim frequently would "play games" with her, refusing to give her the cash in a lump sum, which she said angered her.
Lisa Baywood, also known as Sherry Ann Hartison and Lisa Hartison, sustained burns to her legs and remains hospitalized at Stroger Hospital.
The attempted murder charge will be upgraded to homicide if the victim dies from the serious burns. Since authorities made it a point to illustrate prior threats, intent and motive, prosecutors may seek first-degree murder charges.
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Two people were killed and at least 19 were injured due to violence, mostly from gunshots, just this past weekend, the Chicago Tribune reported. Eight of the injuries occurred from Saturday evening through early Sunday morning.
]]> It's not clear exactly how the perpetrators of gun violence obtain their weapons, given the long history of Chicago's now-defunct handgun ban. But Chicago criminal defense attorneys, at least those defending alleged shooters, probably know more than they're permitted to say.In fact one of the main arguments against Chicago's efforts at limiting the availability of handguns, which are responsible for a large portion of the city's gang-related deaths, is that gun-related incidents actually increased while the earlier law was in place. Still, there is no evidence that shows a direct causal relationship between the ban and the increased violence.
The now-overturned ordinance banned private ownership of handguns.
The new law, which constitutional attorneys believe will spark a new round of legal challenges, bans gun sales within the city; limits gun permit holders to just one "ready-to-fire" gun per home; and bans guns in garages, porches and yards.
Already there are lawsuits challenging the new gun ordinance, which Northwestern University Law School professor Eugene Kontorovich believes will limit its scope:
"Chicago is in for a long legal challenge. Clearly, parts of the ordinance will be struck down, but it is hard to predict how quickly that will happen."
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The 59-year-old Pittsburgh, Pa. native was charged in US District Court with one count of bank robbery. He is accused of robbing more than $4,000 on May 10 from the bank.
And given the evidence likely to be used against him, he'll need a particularly experienced Chicago criminal attorney to help defend against the serious charge. But more charges may be forthcoming.
]]> Since the bank has been robbed three times in the last month, presumably by the same person, police believe Randolph Walker is the the main suspect for all three. There were "clear" surveillance photos of the suspect and when he was spotted last week, bank employees recognized him and set off a silent alarm.The bank manager walked outside to keep an eye on the man, who allegedly was attempting a fourth robbery, as the security guard locked the bank entrance. Randolph Walker then tried to enter the bank and then stood by the door for about two to three minutes before walking away.
The manager called Chicago Board of Trade employees, to where Randolph Walker had gone, who then contacted an off-duty Chicago Police officer working security at the building. The manager then pointed out the suspect, who was quickly detained and taken into custody.
Randolph Walker all but incriminated himself, ironically, as the officers read him his rights:
"You all wouldn't have caught me if I took off my red shirt, dammit. My only mistake was keeping on this red shirt."
Well, that certainly was one mistake.
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Keith Grant, an assistant public defender assigned as the Illinois criminal defense attorney for defendant Jerry Hobbs, said DNA taken from 8-year-old victim (and Jerry Hobbs' daughter) Laura Hobbs matches another man:
]]> The other girl murdered in 2005, purportedly by the same individual, was Laura Hobbs' 9-year-old friend Krystal Tobias."Since we developed this profile, we have been confident that it leads to only one conclusion, and that is that our client is innocent."
Prosecutors confirmed a "significant development" in the case and provided a few details. Jeff Pavletic, first assistant state's attorney for Lake County, told reporters that general DNA was found on the body of Laura Hobbs and that the man matching the evidence is now in custody.
He said a task force has been mobilized, new witnesses are being interviewed and evidence is being reanalyzed. He did not say where the new suspect was apprehended and declined to answer some of the more pointed questions about the case:
"We are in the infancy of the investigation of this development. I think it would be premature to speculate on the impact this has on the case at this point."
Jeff Pavletic also declined to say whether Jerry Hobbs will be released from jail. He made a confession to the killings at the time but has since recanted.
But the case against Jerry Hobbs was questionable ever since a DNA profile developed a few years ago failed to match him. He had a drinking problem and a long crime record, including instances of violence, which likely led prosecutors to charge him for the murders.
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Three teenagers were stabbed in two separate incidents and police said they had to use a stun gun to subdue a man who fought with officers. While police have touted the use of Taser stun guns as a non-lethal but effective tool, Chicago criminal attorneys often challenge their use in court.
In this case, police say a 24-year-old man who was blocking traffic refused officers' request that he move, and then struggled with officers. An officer Tasered him after he pushed and began fighting with the officers, according to News Affairs Officer John Mirabelli.
]]> But by far the most serious incident was the stabbing of a 15-year-old boy in the back, according to police. He was reportedly walking with friends when they ran into a group of fighting teenagers. He felt pain in his back and realized he'd been stabbed, likely unintentionally.His injury was considered serious but not life-threatening. Described by police as a known gang member, the teenager was taken to Northwestern Memorial Hospital.
Minutes later, two other teenagers who were leaving a fast food restaurant encountered a fight that police believe may have been the same one that resulted in the 15-year-old's injury. The boys tried to get away but they both were stabbed before they finally fled and jumped onto a Red Line train.
The boys were treated and quickly released.
Considering the chaos and confusion often associated with large crowds, any suspect in the stabbings will want to consult with an experienced Chicago criminal defense attorney.
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Among the questions related to former Fox News producer Steph Watts, who filmed the 2007 autopsy and took notes, is whether he also assisted with the autopsy. Kathleen Savio's three-year-old corpse was exhumed and examined at the request of her family.
Drew Peterson's Illinois criminal defense attorneys have criticized the news producer's involvement in the procedure and also claim his autopsy notes curiously include the phone number for Joe Francis, the producer of the scandalous video line "Girls Gone Wild."
]]> Chicago criminal attorney Joseph "Shark" Lopez said he believes this proves that the autopsy was flawed. Another one of the defendant's lawyers, Joel Brodsky, commented on the autopsy controversy to Chicago Tribune reporters:"I'm almost surprised Steph Watts didn't do some of the incisions in the autopsy. They weren't just covering the news; this shows they were making the news."
However, it's unclear how the inclusion of Joe Francis' contact information on Steph Watts' autopsy notes is related to the actual case. The former Fox News producer did not return calls by reporters seeking comment but he is expected to appear in court.
Drew Peterson's lawyers are hoping to have the evidence of Kathleen Savio's autopsy, performed by celebrity medical examiner Michael Baden, thrown out of the trial. However, Joel Brodsky said he is "very much looking forward to getting Mr. Watts on the witness stand."
Kathleen Savio's body was found in the couple's bathtub and her death was quickly ruled as an accident. But the case was reopened soon after the disappearance of Drew Peterson's fourth wife, Stacy Peterson, who has not yet been found.
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As Mayor Richard Daley promised before the 5-4 ruling overturning a local municipality's right to enforce certain gun laws, the city plans to revise its gun-restriction law to fit within the confines of the new ruling, the Tribune reported. The 1982 city ordinance was challenged by a city resident who wanted to purchase a handgun to protect his home.
]]> Now it is considered unconstitutional, as Mayor Richard Daley explained at a news conference:"I'm disappointed by the decision, but it's not surprising. We are still reviewing the entire decision, but it means Chicago's handgun ban is unenforceable."
More than 30,000 deaths are the result of gun violence in the United States each year, according to statistics cited in a Huffington Post editorial by gun control advocate Josh Sugarmann, executive director of the Violence Policy Center. But FBI data indicating that 65 percent of Illinois homicides (mostly via guns) were in Chicago, despite the ban, it raises questions about the law's effectiveness.
So what would a revised handgun restriction in Chicago look like?
The mayor didn't offer details at the news conference but City Hall reportedly has been working up a new ordinance ever since U.S. Supreme Court justices heard oral arguments in the case in March. He said his main concern is to protect police officers and emergency workers who respond to incidents of violence at a residence.
Justice Samuel A. Alito made it clear in the published opinion that the ruling "does not imperil every law regulating firearms."
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Jon Burge and his staff arrested and tortured about 135 men and women at Area 2 police headquarters, all African-Americans, between 1972 and 1991, according to the University of Chicago's Police Torture Archive. According to various court cases, he and officers under his command used electric shock to the ears and genitalia, mock executions, suffocation and burning.
]]> U.S. District Court Judge Milton Shadur, in the Northern District of Illinois, said the following in a published 1999 case (U.S. ex rel. Maxwell v. Gilmore):"It is now common knowledge that in the early to mid-1980s Chicago Police Commander Jon Burge and many officers working under him in the physical abuse and torture of prisoners to extract confessions."
Jon Burge's Chicago criminal defense attorney, Rick Beuke, countered by saying the "lies" from his client's "junkie" and "criminal" accusers were "pathological" and "laughable." But in the criminal justice system, even the lowliest of "junkies" deserves fair treatment in police custody and due process of law.
Patrick Weisman detailed the beatings, electric shocks and suffocations that five men in particular said they suffered at the hands of the defendant and his staff between 1973 and 1985. He discussed corroborating evidence from medical staff, Chicago criminal attorneys and former Area 2 police detective Michael McDermott, who testified at the trial.
Jon Burge's attorney continued to defend his client, saying he "has nothing to apologize for in this court," but Patrick Weismann got the final word:
"It's time for justice to speak and it is your time to speak justice."
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And since there were reportedly several witnesses to the accident, the man's Chicago criminal attorney (if he is charged with the crime) might have a difficult time defending his client's actions. If he ran a red light before the collision, as witnesses claim, it could make the defendant's charges even more difficult to defend against.
Itali Hinton and her father were returning home from a visit with her grandmother, crossing a street, when a van that witnesses say ran a red light struck her. She was dragged a short distance, but that was enough to sustain fatal injuries. She was pronounced dead at Comer Children's Hospital at the University of Chicago shortly after.
]]> The van stopped for a moment but the driver allegedly sped off as an angry crowd of witnesses approached.Witnesses provided police with the van's license plate number and the suspect was taken into custody later that evening, according to police.
The girl's 19-year-old brother, Pariss Kidd, described his deceased sister as "full of energy" and "full of joy." She would have been a 6th-grader at Beasley Elementary School, he said:
"She loved to read. She was full of life, she wanted to do everything. She loved basketball and was just a great kid."
Police have not released the name of the suspect, a 67-year-old man, and he had not been charged as of Wednesday, according to ABC Chicago.
Motorists have the legal duty to stop immediately after an injury accident and take reasonable steps to help any victims, including a call to local police, according to FindLaw. Any driver leaving the scene of an accident resulting in serious injury or death may face a felony hit-and-run charge.
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