Bobby Cann killed on Clybourn last night. Critical Mass Tribute?

Hi everyone,

My dear, close friend was killed on his way home from work last night. His name is Bobby Cann. Friends and I gathered at his house after to mourn. He was my best friend. He was such an advocate for cycling and safety. I met him years ago while working at REI. I want to have tomorrow's Mass in his honor. Any ideas/help?

Thank you all,

Phil

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Permalink Reply by Ace Mann on June 1, 2013 at 9:32am

Video from last nights Critical mass bike ride tribute to Robert "Bobby" Cann

Permalink Reply by John S. on June 1, 2013 at 5:08pm

Sad news, for all of us, especially Bobby's family and friends.   I have many friends that have stopped riding on the road for this very reason.  We are all so vulnerable, with no protection whatsoever.  Our only safety is in educating the non-bicycling public and ourselves on how to safely coexist on the same roads.

Thank you to the Ride of Silence for giving a voice to those who can no longer speak for themselves and for supporting our right to ride.

Permalink Reply by Emily Schick on June 1, 2013 at 6:43pm

This is terribly sad. I didn't know him at all, and I missed last night's Mass, but I will leave flowers and pay my respects to him tomorrow evening. My thoughts are with you.

Permalink Reply by Adam Herstein on June 1, 2013 at 6:47pm

It's a shame that only drunk drivers get caught and sober drivers still get away with killing.

Permalink Reply by dana on June 2, 2013 at 1:52pm

my thoughts EXACTLY.

Adam Herstein (5.5 mi) said:

It's a shame that only drunk drivers get caught and sober drivers still get away with killing.

Permalink Reply by Rich Evans on June 2, 2013 at 2:01pm

Even when they're caught, it's very rare for a motorist who kills a pedestrian or cyclist to get more than a traffic ticket, and often, not even that.  Part of the problem, I think, is that there are usually only two witnesses in such a case: one's the perpetrator and the other's dead.  Maybe this could change as more bikers use bike/helmet cams. 

Permalink Reply by Bob Kastigar on June 2, 2013 at 2:50pm

SIGN THIS PETITION:

http://petitions.moveon.org/sign/no-plea-bargain-for-ryne

Petition Background

Ryne Sanhamel, while driving drunk with a Blood-Alcohol level of .125 drove into and killed cyclist Bobby Cann. Rather than allowing him to bargain for a plea agreement he should get a full trial, in open and public court, to determine his sentencing for this Reckless Homicide and Aggravated DUI felony crime.

Petition Statement

Ryne Sanhamel, while driving drunk with a Blood-Alcohol level of .125 drove into and killed cyclist Bobby Cann. He should stand full trial and not a negotiated plea bargain to determine his sentence.

Petition to Anita Alvarez, Cook County State's Attorney

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on June 3, 2013 at 12:28am

With all due respect, ladies and gentlemen, one is innocent until proven guilty.  Demanding a full trial could result in a finding of not guilty.  There is no sentencing when one is found not guilty.

While on the face of it a finding of not guilty seems unlikely, does anyone here really know what the state's evidence is?  If he enters a plea, he will be sentenced.  If he goes to trial and is found not guilty, he will walk out of the courtroom.

Permalink Reply by Julie Aberman (Hochstadter) on June 3, 2013 at 1:21am
Thanks Lisa for explaining the situation.

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

With all due respect, ladies and gentlemen, one is innocent until proven guilty.  Demanding a full trial could result in a finding of not guilty.  There is no sentencing when one is found not guilty.

While on the face of it a finding of not guilty seems unlikely, does anyone here really know what the state's evidence is?  If he enters a plea, he will be sentenced.  If he goes to trial and is found not guilty, he will walk out of the courtroom.

Permalink Reply by Duppie on June 3, 2013 at 2:02am

Thanks for pointing that out, Lisa.

Lisa Curcio 4.0 mi said:

With all due respect, ladies and gentlemen, one is innocent until proven guilty.  Demanding a full trial could result in a finding of not guilty.  There is no sentencing when one is found not guilty.

While on the face of it a finding of not guilty seems unlikely, does anyone here really know what the state's evidence is?  If he enters a plea, he will be sentenced.  If he goes to trial and is found not guilty, he will walk out of the courtroom.

Permalink Reply by Lisa Curcio on June 3, 2013 at 3:47am

May I just add that there apparently is more than one charge pending:  Aggravated DUI ( a Class 2 felony) and Reckless Homicide (a Class 3 felony).  The state must prove each element of each offense beyond a reasonable doubt. If for either charge they cannot prove just one element, there must be a finding of not guilty on the charge for which they cannot prove all elements.  The defendant does not need to prove anything.

Taking a case to trial is risky for everyone.  The suggestion of attending court hearings is a better one than to sign this petition.  Attending court hearings lets the State's Attorney's office know that there is concern in the community for a stiff sentence, and might influence what they are willing to offer in exchange for a plea.  Of course, the State's Attorney has the evidence and also knows the risks and possible benefits of going to trial. 

Permalink Reply by Crazy David 84 Furlongs on June 3, 2013 at 4:06am

I have a little experience in this.  I was a witness (and almost involved) in a multi-car accident on Foster.  A young driver, who may well have been under the influence, and may well have been racing, lost control pulled onto the Sidewalk at about 40 MPH, rolled down the sidewalk, came off the curve and hit the cars directly in front of me.  a lot of the cars were badly damaged, at least one smaller car with kids in the backseat was essentially destroyed.  He then got out of the SUV and stood on the side of the ride like a "bystander".    Fortunately, enough of us recognized him so the Police eventually grabbed him.

Move forward several months of the trial.   A number of us kept coming as witnesses every month or so and every month or so the trial would be postponed for a variety of reasons.  Mostly after it was seen which witnesses were there.    And each time fewer and fewer witnesses came to the trial.  Finally it came down to a day of trial.   It turned out that ALL of the other potential witnesses that had arrived were people that had been hit.  From behind.  And had not seen the accident.  And they all had injuries and law suits pending against the guy.   All of the other witnesses who had actually seen the accident had given up and stopped coming. 

Fortunately, I had seen it all, and I am a very good witness.   After detailing what I had seen, in a clear and doubt eliminating matter, it became clear that I could provide enough to get a likely conviction.  But the prosecution, having only one clear witness, was hesitant and ended up agreeing to a plea bargain in which the driver didn't even lose his license for a period of time.   Why, because he had only send a number of kids and parents to the hospital with long term injuries, but had not actually killed anyone.   It didn't take away, suspend or even "provisional" his license.   It didn't put an actual "conviction" for a felony on his record.  (He took a suspended plea of guilt).   The system is broken.

What needs to be done is a demand for greater accountability in the law and a private law suit by the family and the estate extracting as much money as it can from the driver, the place that served the alcohol, and to the extent that it can be established, the "friends" in the car that let him drive.   Money  does not bring back the dead, but its the best that we can really do.

I don't necessarily see a jury trial.    Jury trials are much harder for defendants to pull off the "delay until the witness gives up" strategy which is a common trick.  And a jury would likely be "mad" at this guy and thus likely to ignore any evidence to the contrary.   A Judge, on the other hand, could perhaps be convinced by a technical defense and the lack of actual witnesses. 

So, yes, the danger is that this guy will stretch out the trial date over and over again until the witnesses (and I hope to heck we have witnesses) for the prosecution get tired and don't come back.  And then his buddies in the car will argue, in some way, that the bicyclist was at fault.  And "poof" we might not see an acceptable outcome.    And if he is going to go to jail, the sooner we get this person sentenced, the sooner this will happen.  Right now he's out on bail.  

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