©2011 Galesburg Broadcasting Co.
| Sheley Allowed to Represent Self at Trial |
POSTED 3:55pm, UPDATED 5:16pm 4/25/11 Accused murderer Nicolas Sheley faces more than a dozen felony charges in Knox County and now he has only himself to rely on for a defense strategy.
Circuit court Judge James Stewart accepted today(Monday) a motion Nicolas Sheley made last month to represent himself in the case where he is accused of the murder of Galesburg resident Ronald Randall in 2008.
Stewart pointed out that Sheley had a made a similar motion before and withdrew it, but now the case is totally different, as it has been decertified from a capitol murder case to a regular trial.
There was some question as to whether Sheley had already waived his right to represent himself after the first attempt, but Stewart said it is Sheley's constitutional right to do so.
And after questioning Sheley multiple times whether he understood what the consequences would be and if indeed it was what he truly wanted, each time Sheley affirmed his desire to reprent himself.
As such, lead defense attorney Jeremy Karlin was thanked for his time and dismissed from the case, though ordered to provide all his information in the case to Sheley.
A June 20th trial date has been set with a pre-trail set for June 6th. Additionally a case management hearing is set for June 1st to work out any issues with the sharing of evidence between the two parties and possibly how Sheley will be properly restrained or handcuffed, if at all, during the trail without jury members drawing any unfair conclusions.
Sheley is also accused of murders in Whiteside County and the state of Missouri, which still practices capitol punishment.
(Nicholas Sheley. Photo from Illinois Department of Corrections.) |
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| 04 25 11 by Newsroom |
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