Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Semi-Truck Tanker Crash Claims the Lives of 5 Illinois Residents
At least five people died as a result of a semi-truck crash in Effingham County, IL. Areas of the county had to be evacuated as the truck was carrying several thousand pounds of anhydrous ammonia. Residents near the crash had to be evacuated to safety until the tanker stopped leaking ammonia. Several more individuals… Read More »
Drunk Semi-Truck Driver Responsible for Causing Several Injuries to Hockey Team
Lawsuits have been filed against a drunk semi-truck driver who crashed into a school bus carrying a boy’s hockey team, according to a recent article. Police say that the semi-truck driver ran a red light crashing into the school bus. They allege that he was drunk at the time of the incident. He is… Read More »
Defendant Charged with Aggravated Battery of a Police Officer Denied Appeal
An Illinois defendant was charged with aggravated battery of a police officer and resisting a police officer. The defendant alleged that the officer had no reason to arrest him and that his subsequent charge of resisting a police officer was the “fruit of the poisonous tree”. Fruit of the poisonous tree refers to any… Read More »
Defendant Denied Motion to Suppress Statements Made by Police After Armed Robbery
An Illinois defendant was found guilty of armed robbery at a gas station and sentenced to 23 years in prison. He got 8 years for the armed robbery and another 15 for a firearm enhancement. He appealed the decision on the basis that the court should have suppressed evidence related to a confession that… Read More »
15-Year-Old Defendant Charged with First-Degree Murder
On August 4th, 2010, a 15-year-old defendant was charged with first-degree murder after the shooting death of another individual. He was also charged with two counts of armed robbery. The murder counts alleged that he personally discharged a handgun killing another person. The defendant was offered a plea deal in which he would personally… Read More »
Illinois Now Allows Punitive Damages in Wrongful Death Cases
Illinois has made a change to the law that will affect wrongful death lawsuits. Previously, the law barred individuals from seeking punitive damages in wrongful death cases. Now, a plaintiff will be able to recover punitive damages in a wrongful death suit. In some cases, this will increase the size of the verdict. Illinois… Read More »
Nursing Home Operator Accused of Intentional Understaffing
A lawsuit has been filed against several Illinois nursing homes alleging that the nursing homes intentionally understaffed its facilities. Residents of the nursing home are prone to slip and fall injuries, pressure ulcers (bed sores), and aren’t diagnosed with potentially life-threatening conditions until it is too late. Attorneys for the plaintiff are seeking to… Read More »
Family Files Wrongful Death Lawsuit Against Paramedics Charged with Murder
The family of a man who died as a result of suffocation has filed a wrongful death lawsuit against two paramedics and the company that they work for. The decedent was suffering from alcohol withdrawal when the paramedics attempted to get him out of the house and onto a gurney. The paramedics were told… Read More »
Defendant Loses Bid to Appeal Life Sentence on 8th Amendment Grounds
This is a case from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals involving a 16-year-old defendant who was convicted of murder after an attempted robbery of a corner store. On July 28th, 1994 the defendant was 16 years old and visiting an aunt in Decatur, Illinois. While there, he and his cousins conspired to rob… Read More »
Defendant Sentenced to 42 Months in Prison on Charges of Aggravated Domestic Battery and Possession of Methamphetamine
An Illinois defendant was sentenced to 42 months in the Illinois Department of Corrections on counts of aggravated domestic battery and possession of methamphetamine. He was acquitted of two charges of armed violence. At his sentencing, the state requested a sentence of 4 years on the conviction while the defendant lobbied for probation. The… Read More »