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| Appellate Court Grants Sheley New Trial in 2009 Assault Case |
FIRST REPORTED 5:30pm 1/6/12, REPOSTED 1/7/12 Accused spree killer Nicholas Sheley will get a new trial in Knox County on the first case for which he was convicted, determined the same week he begins the appeal process in the local murder case.
The Third District Appellate Court in Ottawa ruled Thursday that Sheley must get a new trial on charges of Aggravated Assault, Aggravated Battery, and Criminal Damage to Government-Supported Property.
This stems from an early 2009 incident where he allegedly used furniture and other equipment at the Knox County Jail to assault Knox County Sheriffs Deputies working in the jail -- several of which were injured.
Sheley asked to represent himself in the case after initially agreeing to have Knox County Public Defender Jim Harrell represent him. But now-retired Knox County Circuit Court Judge Stephen Mathers denied the request.
The appellate court ruled that Sheley was mentally competent to represent himself, and that Mathers never ruled on whether or not Sheley had a mental illness that would prevent him from proceeding on his own.
The court ruled that was the case despite outbursts at both Mathers and Harrell during the course of the case.
It's not clear when a new trial would begin in Knox County, nor who would preside over it.
Sheley's awaiting trial in Whiteside County for the death of 93-year old Russell Reed of Sterling.
Just this week, documents were filed in Knox County Circuit Court indicating that an appeal would be filed in the September conviction for the death of 65-year old Ronald Randall, for which Sheley was sentenced to life in prison.
Sheley is accused of killing a total of eight people in Illinois and Missouri in 2008.
(Nicholas Sheley. File Photo.) |
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| 01 07 12 by Newsroom |
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