Posted on January 05, 2013 in Criminal Defense

If one Chicago alderman has his way, a person who feeds the pigeons could possibly face up to six months in jail as punishment for the ‘crime’. Ald. James Cappelman has introduced an ordinance that would significantly increase the penalties for feeding pigeons – making it a crime punishable by up to six months in jail and a fine of up to $1,000. Currently, it is against city code violations to feed the birds and is punishable by a fine of up to $500.

According to CBS Chicago, the alderman has told his colleagues that he is “tired of encountering a scene from a Hitchcock movie every time he walks to the Wilson station on the CTA Red Line”, where hundreds of the birds sit and wait to be fed. Studies show that pigeons can harbor over 40 types of parasites and host internally 60 types of infectious diseases that can be spread by the dried bird droppings.

This past spring, Cappelman was assaulted by a woman when he attempted to sweep away breadcrumbs that the woman had just spread out for the birds. The alderman’s argument is that not only do the breadcrumbs attract all the hundreds of pigeons, causing serious problems, but the food also attracts rats to the area. He instructs his staff to clean up the area on a daily basis.

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 Posted on January 02, 2013 in Criminal Defense

There was a robbery, a car chase, a car crash and then a riot. It looked like a scene from a great action movie. Sadly, this was the scene leading to the death of a young Englewood man. WND reports that it began when 23 year-old Jamaal Moore and some other men with him robbed a truck driver at gunpoint in the South Chicago neighborhood.

A police chase ensued in hopes of apprehending the suspects. The chase ended with Moore crashing his vehicle near the intersection of Ashland and Garfield Boulevard. The four men that were with Moore ran away. Reports state that a police vehicle hit Moore but he continued to fight the police. At one point he allegedly picked up a police officer and body slammed him twice. His partner then drew her weapon and shot him. She stated that she thought that he was reaching for a firearm. There was no gun found in Moore’s possession.

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 Posted on December 30, 2012 in Criminal Defense

It is not going to be a very merry Christmas for a young boy that watched his father bludgeon his mother to death. According to a report by the Huffington Post, the brutal beating happened in the Tinley Park, a suburb of Chicago.

The incident allegedly began with a fight between 47-year-old Bahaa Sam and his 38-year-old wife Nermeen Sam. The fight was allegedly over him continuing to be unemployed. She attempted to leave the house and he proceeded to follow her outside with a curling bar used for weightlifting. He beat her to death with the bar. Authorities state that she was hit with the bar at least 10 times.

The body was discovered by village workers that were riding past the residence that noticed Nermeen laying underneath a tree in the front yard of the residence. When authorities arrived, she had already died as a result of her injuries.

Authorities report that when they arrived, they were greeted by the young boy who immediately stated that, “My daddy killed my mommy.” The child was so close in proximity to the incident that he was actually splattered with his mother’s blood.

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 Posted on December 27, 2012 in Criminal Defense

U.S. Attorney Stephen Wigginton recently announced that the Southern District of Illinois has collected more than $8 million dollars in civil and criminal actions so far this fiscal year. The breakdown of the funds collected consisted of $6,553,351.74 collected in civil and $2,248,737.31 collected in criminal actions, for a total of $8,802,089.05.

According to a report in the Madison-St. Clair Record, a significant portion of funds recovered – $4,836,822 – came about through civil settlements with several hospitals for alleged Stark Law violations. Stark Law prevents physicians from making patient referrals to other providers or organizations in which they have a financial interest. The allegations against the hospitals that settled included collecting rent from physicians on expired office space lease agreements or equipment lease agreements, payments made to physicians or physician groups for independent contractor agreements, services agreements, recruitment agreements, and employment agreements in which the agreements were expired, not in writing, and/or the parties failed to follow the terms of the written contract.

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 Posted on December 23, 2012 in White Collar Crime

According to CBS Chicago, a now former Maywood police officer is being held on a $200,000 bond. He is being charged with the serious offenses of criminal sexual assault as well as official misconduct for committing illegal acts while on duty.

It is alleged that 38 year old Deon Sims was in his patrol vehicle in Maywood when he noticed a young lady walking along the street. He asked her if she was okay and if she needed any help. He then offered to provide assistance to her. She then allegedly got into the patrol vehicle with him at that time.

DuPage County prosecutors state that he then drove back to the precinct with her still in the vehicle and concluded his shift. He parked his police vehicle and then he and the young lady left in his personal vehicle at that time.

He then allegedly took her to a hotel under the guise that he was going to rent a room to provide her shelter. He did indeed rent the room and paid for it. When he took her to the room, he proceeded to enter the room behind her and he stayed there and sexually assaulted her.

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 Posted on December 20, 2012 in Criminal Defense

State Senator Donne Trotter was released from a police lockup on a felony charge of trying to bring a handgun aboard an aircraft. Donne was released on $25,000 bond on December 6. Trotter’s case was covered in a Chicago Tribune story.

Senator Trotter, who is working towards U.S. Representative Jesse Jackson Junior’s congressional seat, was ambushed by reporters and cameramen as he was leaving the Leighton Criminal Court Building. Trotter refused to answer any of the press’ questions at the time. Trotter rushed into a black sedan and left the courthouse.

The 62-year-old Senator is facing charges after he tried to board a jet with a gun in his carry-on luggage. Such action is charged as a felony and can lead to sentence of up to three years in prison. Trotter agreed to surrender all of his firearms while he is awaiting his trial.

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 Posted on December 17, 2012 in Criminal Defense

Following a hearing regarding the handling of the investigation of former Northern Illinois University (NIU) police officer Andrew Rifkin on sex assault charges by NIU police, the DeKalb County State’s Attorney indicated that all charges against Rifkin would be dropped. Rifkin was fired from the NIU police department in October, 2011, amid allegations that he had sexually assaulted a NIU student.

Rifkin’s case took an unexpected turn this month when it became apparent that the NIU police department had failed to turn over witness reports from the investigation indicating that Rifkin and the student in question had engaged in consensual sexual activity. Those reports later resurfaced in a personnel file, and a DeKalb County judge ruled that the police department had intentionally withheld the evidence from all parties. Following that ruling, the judge ordered the NIU police department to execute an affidavit attesting that all evidence had been handed over to county prosecutors regarding the Rifkin investigation, and university officials appointed a new administrator to oversee the department. That same day, at approximately 10:00 p.m., NIU Police Chief Donald Grady apparently ordered a campus police IT specialist to remove between 60 and 70 files from the chief’s computer, although the content of those files was unclear. NIU placed Grady on administrative leave the following day.

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 Posted on December 14, 2012 in Criminal Defense

A convicted Joliet Township man beat and strangled his grandmother only a day after he was released from prison, Illinois authorities said. The 38-year-old suspect remains jailed on a $5 million bond while he awaits the outcome of his six counts of first-degree murder charges. The Chicago Tribune recently reported a story about the case.

Darel Agerton, 38, appeared in court on December 6 for the murder of his grandmother, Veronica R. Schick. A public defender requested Agerton’s bond to be lowered, but Will County Circuit Judge Marzell Richardson did not budge. The judge did grant Agerton two phone calls.

According to prosecutors, Agerton beat his grandmother with his hands and feet on Novermber 30, before strangling her.

A day before committing the alleged murder, Agerton had been released from a state correctional facility, where he had been for an aggravated DUI, Will County sheriff’s spokesman Ken Kaupas told the press.

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 Posted on December 11, 2012 in Criminal Defense

According to a breaking Chicago Tribune article, the U.S. Supreme Court has declined to hear a further appeal to the constitutionality of the controversial Illinois anti-eavesdropping law that bans people from recording police officers. In doing so, the Court left an appellate court ruling in place that found the law to violate free-speech rights when used against people who record police officers. After that June court ruling, a federal judge issued a temporary injunction that effectively prevents prosecution of anyone under the current law. The American Civil Liberties Union, who filed the initial lawsuit against Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez, has now requested that the federal judge make the temporary injunction permanent, which would effectively stop all enforcement of the law on a statewide basis.

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 Posted on December 09, 2012 in Criminal Defense

Unusual procedures were seen in a federal courtroom when the judge ordered a bank robbery suspect to be strapped into a chair. The judge’s decision was fueled by the suspect’s constant requests to be excused from his trial. The Chicago Tribune reported a story on this interesting courtroom scenario.

The repeated outbursts of Joseph “Jose” Banks, also known as the Second Hand Bandit, led to the judge’s order to strap him in his chair. It took five deputy U.S. marshals to carry out this order.

Banks is accused of robbing two banks and attempting to rob two others.

Banks asked the judge what the reasons for restraining him were, although U.S. District Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer had explained to Banks that he could not leave the courtroom, since he was representing himself in the trial. Banks had asked to be excused while evidence was presented to the jury, at which time he could not be excuse, because he had no attorney to represent him.

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