Replies to This Discussion

Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on July 12, 2011 at 7:21am

Anyone else coming to this? They wouldn't let me bring my helmet into the courthouse.

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Permalink Reply by Ace Mann on July 12, 2011 at 7:57am

I wish I could have gone plz-update us after if you can & thank you for going that is awesome( Damn Work)

jamimaria said:

Anyone else coming to this? They wouldn't let me bring my helmet into the courthouse.

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Permalink Reply by BalloonBiker on July 12, 2011 at 9:10am

Not much happened. Both of them appeared, Torres was still in custody. Apparently there here "heated negotiatons," but the defendants refused the offer and demanded a trial. It was hard to hear, but it sounded like the next court date is July 22nd, but that needs to be confirmed.

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Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on July 12, 2011 at 11:33am

Jami is right - there will be a trial shortly.  This is where it's more important to have a show of cyclists, to impress the court with the importance of this issue to the community. There were at least three of us in court today.

 

The original news article:

http://wilmette.patch.com/articles/wilmette-and-winnetka-police-nab...

 

I went an email to the author asking for more information and to get the date, time, and location of the actual trial.  If I don't get an answer shortly I'll try and look elsewhere.

 

Somebody come up with an idea to look like cyclists, since we can't wear helmets into court!

 

 

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Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on July 12, 2011 at 11:36am

Fast return from the news author:

 

Bob,

I spoke with the detective who's working on the case. They should be in court next week either July 20 or 22. I am waiting for confirmation for the date and will keep you posted.

Andrea

On Tue, Jul 12, 2011 at 5:25 PM, a href="mailto:R-Kastigar@neiu.edu">R-Kastigar@neiu.edu> wrote:

UPDATED: North Shore Bike Thieves Nabbed

---

Hi. Several of us bicyclists went to court today for the trial noted in your Wilmette-Kenilworth Patch article on the Bike Thieves dated June 28th. One defendant is out on bond, the other is still in jail without bond. It was a short hearing and we didn't quite catch what happened but it appears as if they did not want to plead and wanted a trial. A date, time and location was set but we're not sure when it is. Could you pass this information along to us? Thank you. -- Robert (Bob) Kastigar 5101 N Central Park Ave Chicago, IL 60625 773 588 9634

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on July 12, 2011 at 11:47am

The matter has not been set for trial. The next date is not a trial date. 

Bob Kastigar said:

Fast return from the news author:

 

Bob,

I spoke with the detective who's working on the case. They should be in court next week either July 20 or 22. I am waiting for confirmation for the date and will keep you posted. 

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Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on July 12, 2011 at 12:01pm

Thanks, Kevin, that's what I was afraid of.  Repetitious steps in the court system.  Today's court date, which determines there's going to be a trial.  The next date, which probably is to set a court date, to get a jury or something, and then maybe another date or two before the actual trial.

 

By this time, people who are interested lose interest and stop showing up.

 

Then the lawyer says "Look, Your Honor, there's nobody here.  Nobody cares about what these guys did.  Why bother with the expense of a trial?  Just slap their wrist (lightly) and let them go."

 

Kevin Conway said:

The matter has not been set for trial. The next date is not a trial date. 

Thanks,

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on July 12, 2011 at 12:15pm

Repetitious? Are you kidding? 

They were arrested on Friday June 24th. They remained in custody over the weekend and appeared in bond court on June 27th. This was the first time this matter was up. Kenneth bonded out. Gilberto did not due to an outstanding warrant in Rolling Meadows. They are both charged with two felony counts. Today is July 12th. What exactly has been in any way repetitious or slow in the administration of justice? They were arrested two and a half weeks ago. I would suggest that anyone who has lost interest in the ensuing 18 days since their arrest has the attention span of a hummingbird.

 

As far as the strength in numbers argument for populating the courtroom with helmeted spandex-clad "concerned citizens," mercifully we operate under a criminal justice system where guilt or innocence is determined by the evidence presented and the testimony offered, rather than by jeering spectators who offer a thumbs up or a thumbs down to the Judge or jury hearing the evidence presented. I happen to believe the outcome of this trial will be the same whether 0 or 50 bicyclists show up in the gallery.

 

 

Bob Kastigar said:

Thanks, Kevin, that's what I was afraid of.  Repetitious steps in the court system.  Today's court date, which determines there's going to be a trial.  The next date, which probably is to set a court date, to get a jury or something, and then maybe another date or two before the actual trial.

 

By this time, people who are interested lose interest and stop showing up.

 

Then the lawyer says "Look, Your Honor, there's nobody here.  Nobody cares about what these guys did.  Why bother with the expense of a trial?  Just slap their wrist (lightly) and let them go."

 

Kevin Conway said:

The matter has not been set for trial. The next date is not a trial date. 

Thanks,

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Permalink Reply by milesperhour on July 12, 2011 at 12:55pm

what are the chances they work out a deal with the prosecution prior to trial? are they holding out for some lesser punishment?

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on July 12, 2011 at 1:02pm

Slim.

Sometimes cases get better before trial. Sometimes they get worse. Lesser punishment is not a foregone conclusion.

milesperhour said:

what are the chances they work out a deal with the prosecution prior to trial? are they holding out for some lesser punishment?

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Permalink Reply by milesperhour on July 12, 2011 at 1:13pm

What do you think is their motivation in going to trial then?

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Permalink Reply by Kevin C Dormant on July 12, 2011 at 1:24pm

I don't know that they're going to trial. At this stage of the proceeding, it makes sense for the defendants to say they're going to trial because they want the opportunity to exchange discovery and see how the prosecution case looks. Based solely on the two news accounts I have read in the Wilmette-Kenilworth Patch, I would anticipate that the prosecution case is going to look pretty good.

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