©2011 Galesburg Broadcasting Co.
| Sheley Trial Officially Underway, Some Charges Dropped |
UPDATED 11:00am 8/29/11 The first set of potential jurors in the local murder case against accused spree killer Nicholas Sheley has gotten done hearing from the judge, and it's been learned that some charges are being dropped.
Judge James Stewart gave initial instructions to the nearly 100 jurors that filed into the second floor courtroom at the Knox County Courthouse Monday morning. They were hearing about how they should hear the case, if they're picked, against Sheley. Shelehy faces murder and other charges for the death of 65-year old Ronald Randall three years ago, and for allegedly stealing a truck from Rock Island later found in Knox County.
The potential jurors -- which include a business owner, a police chief, and an attorney -- are being told, among other things, that Sheley is to be presumed innocent until proven guilty. They're being asked to fill out a questionnaire which includes potential witnesses and other names that will be brought up at trial, then return Tuesday at 1:30pm if they have the appropriate assigned numbers.
Before the proceedings before the jury began, Assistant Illinois Attorney General Mike Atterberry told the court that three murder counts are not being prosecuted, nor will two charges of aggravated kidnapping, one count of armed robbery, and one count of robbery.
We also know that, during a hearing to be held at 2pm Monday, what photos of evidencewill and won't be used at trial. Judge James Stewart, however, admonished both sides by saying that the issue of photographic evidence should have been dealt with long before now.
Sheley is dressed in a blue dress shirt and khaki pants, different from the prison jumpsuits he's worn during the last three years of hearings leading to trial.
Reporters, by the way, were ordered to be seated by the entrance to the courtroom against a wall, so the press can't actually see the judge, attorneys, or Sheley.
WGIL's Will Stevenson is the only Galesburg reporter who's covered the case from the beginning, and will have continued updates throughout the day on AM 1400 WGIL, and online at WGIL.com.
(Nicholas Sheley. File photo from Illinois Department of Corrections.) |
|
| 08 29 11 by Newsroom |
Click here for the WGIL News Archive
Click here for national news
The following provision applies to all visitors (which shall include persons and representatives of legal entities, whether such representatives are persons or digital engines of a kind that crawls, indexes, scrapes, copies, stores or transmits digital content). By accessing this Web site or digital service, you specifically acknowledge and agree that: (i) Associated Press text, photo, graphic, audio and/or video material shall not be published, broadcast, rewritten for broadcast or publication or redistributed directly or indirectly in any medium; (ii) No Associated Press materials nor any portion thereof may be stored in a computer except for personal and non-commercial use; (iii) The Associated Press will not be held liable for any delays, inaccuracies, errors or omissions therefrom or in the transmission or delivery of all or any part thereof or for any damages arising from any of the foregoing; (iv) The Associated Press is an intended third party beneficiary of these terms and conditions and it may exercise all rights and remedies available to it; and (v) The Associated Press reserves the right to audit possible unauthorized commercial use of AP materials or any portion thereof at any time.
