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I am following a truly strange trial this week. https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/criminal-justice/ct-jackie-wilson-police-murder-third-trial-20200923-quxsqv3hivc5lilg4tzj4mhrh4-story.html
just in -- prosecutors have dismissed charges against Jackie Wilson altogether, after more than a week of trial. Story soon.
Working on a broader story about this, but for now, here's the gist of what happened yesterday -- https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/criminal-justice/ct-jackie-wilson-case-dropped-burge-20201002-ukqnvsz25zhj5fllkaolkbdn7e-story.html
Much of the defense case centered on attacking the credibility of William Coleman, a central witness in the 1989 case against Wilson -- a reputed international fraudster/con man known to the FBI and Interpol. Neither state nor defense knew this time around if he is alive or dead.
A defense investigator testified that he had been warned against affirmatively declaring Coleman dead -- since "he had died before." His ex-wife and his son both testified via videoconference from England yesterday that he was a liar and an abuser and a fraud.
The defense next witness was Cook County prosecutor Nick Trutenko, who prosecuted Wilson in 1989. Turns out that after the trial, when he was in private practice, Trutenko had developed a close friendship with Coleman. He even became godfather to one of Coleman's kids.
Trutenko has since rejoined the office, and said on the stand there was no need to notify bosses of his personal friendships.
And then there was a real Hollywood-style courtroom-movie-plot-twist moment: Trutenko said he had been in contact with Coleman as recently as this week.
And then there was a real Hollywood-style courtroom-movie-plot-twist moment: Trutenko said he had been in contact with Coleman as recently as this week.
An alleged international con man, whereabouts unknown, neither prosecutors nor defense had been able to track this guy down, and an assistant state's attorney is on the stand saying he got an email from him about the presidential debate.
Prosecutors drop charges against Wilson not long afterward, at the end of Day 7 of trial.
Wilson cannot be tried a fourth time for the cop killing. And everyone is left without an affirmative guilty or not-guilty.
Meanwhile, Trutenko is supposed to go in front of the trial judge today.
Meanwhile, Trutenko is supposed to go in front of the trial judge today.
Meanwhile, here’s what looks like an internal posting for Trutenko’s job .... and Cook County State’s Attorney Kim Foxx replying all with “Well, that’s fast.”
Hearing now from a couple of reliable people that the above Foxx email has been disappeared from their inboxes ... which is odd, since these are public officials' emails and should probably be preserved/FOIAble?
Trutenko is a no-show at this hearing despite a court order.
An attorney appearing on his behalf from the states attorney’s office says Trutenko is no longer an employee of the office.
An attorney appearing on his behalf from the states attorney’s office says Trutenko is no longer an employee of the office.
Why is the state’s attorneys office sending someone to appear here on behalf of a former employee?
Hooks finds former ASA Nick Trutenko in criminal contempt, for leaving the courtroom without permission last night and for not showing up this morning
Special prosecutors at first didn’t want to say in court why they dropped charges. But after aggressive questioning from Hooks they state — it was because Trutenko apparently perjured himself yesterday.
Trutenko said under oath he didn’t discuss Coleman with special prosecutors ahead of time ... special pros says that’s not true.
Hooks has walked back his contempt finding for now, saying he’ll hold off on an ACC number until next week.
And now Hooks is walking back his walk back of contempt finding, calling everyone back at 3 pm. Including Trutenko.
My head is spinning
My head is spinning
CCSAO confirming that action was taken re Trutenko ... but doesn’t say what that action was
(Look, we can put two and two together, it was revealed in court today that Trutenko is no longer with the office and now the office said it "took action." But I'm looking for a confirmation in plain English.)
former ASA Nick Trutenko is seated here in court, which is slated to start shortly.
Judge Hooks calls a recess because a representative of the State's Attorney's office did not come ready to with the paperwork for a formal appearance on the case ... and nobody can find a blank form for her to fill out.
Cook County, ever a model of efficiency
Cook County, ever a model of efficiency
Hooks going through a history of the case .. perhaps for benefit of the many new faces in the courtroom. Calls Wilson's case perhaps the "most complicated, most problematic" of the Burge-related cases that have surfaced, and maybe was locked up the longest.
Judge Hooks turns to the ASAs:
"Cook County, you had a state's attorney who had a personal relationship with an international fugitive who he was personally involved with in getting a good deal for him in exchange for his testimony against Jackie Wilson."
"Cook County, you had a state's attorney who had a personal relationship with an international fugitive who he was personally involved with in getting a good deal for him in exchange for his testimony against Jackie Wilson."
At this point Hooks is just extensively dressing down the Cook County State's Attorney's office for how they objected to a defense request for Trutenko's personnel records.
"I would have failed a law school student. In federal court there would have been sanctions."
"I would have failed a law school student. In federal court there would have been sanctions."
(the fight over Trutenko's records played out before the trial even started, Hooks is just going over history. The fight involved the State's Attorney's office requesting that Hooks hold them in contempt rather than turn them over.)
Assistant State's Attorney Cathy McNeil Stein confirming in court that Trutenko was, in fact, fired from the office after his testimony yesterday.
Hooks is furious that the Assistant State's Attorneys who heard Trutenko's allegedly perjured testimony yesterday didn't bring the perjury to his attention like the special prosecutors did. "Instead, they book out the courtroom … and I can’t get the sheriffs to find them."
Special prosecutor stating that an ASA who was assigned to represent Trutenko pre-trial told the special pros:
"Whatever you do, don’t ask any questions about Mr. Trutenko’s contact w Coleman after the trial ... It’s nothing illegal, it’s nothing unethical, but it’s weird."
"Whatever you do, don’t ask any questions about Mr. Trutenko’s contact w Coleman after the trial ... It’s nothing illegal, it’s nothing unethical, but it’s weird."
we are an hour into this hearing and the roller coaster shows no sign of stopping
Now we're getting into an internal CCSAO memo written last year, about Trutenko allegedly yelling and intimidating a reluctant grand jury witness and saying she disgusted him.
It was under a protective order but he was cross-examined about it yesterday.
It was under a protective order but he was cross-examined about it yesterday.
Cook County objected to releasing that memo but now they're indicating that since he's no longer with the office (ie, since they fired him) they have no such concerns now.
Hooks is NOT HAVING IT.
"What you have done is suggest a pattern and practice of hiding materials relative to bad prosecutors," he says. "You have substituted your judgment about some person's career when I have a man on his third trial for murder."
"What you have done is suggest a pattern and practice of hiding materials relative to bad prosecutors," he says. "You have substituted your judgment about some person's career when I have a man on his third trial for murder."
The memo from last year concerning Trutenko is now no longer under seal. So, you know, there's that.
(it doesn't have to do with the Wilson case; it's from a 2017 murder. The defense used it to try to show that Trutenko had a history of intimidating witnesses.)
(it doesn't have to do with the Wilson case; it's from a 2017 murder. The defense used it to try to show that Trutenko had a history of intimidating witnesses.)
