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NewsSaturday, February 16, 2008 11:35 PM CST
Pelo defense files for venue change
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BLOOMINGTON — Former Bloomington police officer Jeff Pelo does not believe he can receive a fair trial in McLean County on charges that he raped four women, according to a motion filed Friday by his defense lawyer.

Pelo was a sergeant with 17 years of experience with the department when he was arrested in June 2006 and charged with 27 counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault of four women.

He was stopped initially outside a woman’s home and questioned by a patrol officer responding to a call about a potential break-in. The sexual assault charges followed several weeks later.

Chicago defense lawyer Michael Rosenblat said in his motion for a new trial location that extensive news coverage of the case prevents the 43-year-old former cop from obtaining a fair and impartial jury for his trial set to begin April 7. Rosenblat claims that about 180 news stories have been published or broadcast on Pelo’s case.

Rosenblat also asks that the state’s attorney’s office pay an estimated $10,000 for a public opinion survey of 200 potential jurors to determine their sentiments on Pelo’s case. Pelo cannot afford to pay for the survey, Rosenblat said.

“A public opinion survey of the community from which the pool of prospective jurors will be drawn is an appropriate vehicle by which to determine the nature and extent of any prejudice in the minds of the prospective jurors, which may require a change of place of trial,” said Rosenblat’s motion for a publicly funded survey.

A March 10 hearing date is set on pending motions in Pelo’s case.

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Reader comments on this story - 8 total

Note: All views and opinions expressed in reader comments are solely those of the individual submitting the comment, and not those of the Pantagraph or its staff.

this is why wrote on Feb 16, 2008 3:44 PM:

" postings like this show why the defense needs to be moved - everyone has already made up their minds on guilt before presention of evidence! "

Ridiculous wrote on Feb 16, 2008 3:31 PM:

" Let's see......is there anything else they (Pelo's defense) can say or do to drag this case out any longer. Try the case already. If he is innocent, I'm sure the facts (or lack of evidence) will show it). If he is proven guilty, then he needs to pay the time. Try him already! "

This is the R. Kelly defense wrote on Feb 16, 2008 12:38 PM:

" just drag it out, out, out, out...............6 years later, people won't even remember there's a case outstanding. See you all in 2012. "

Trust Tax Payers wrote on Feb 16, 2008 10:53 AM:

" I guess Pelo doesn't trust the people he use to trust to pay his salary. They are not smart enough to form an opinion. "

country boy wrote on Feb 16, 2008 9:28 AM:

" can we just get this over with? "

!$!$ wrote on Feb 16, 2008 9:27 AM:

" If Pelo and his over paid attorney what this question and answer section they should pay for it or forget it. If the SA office or a judge lets this happen at the tax payer expence it is time to replace them. I will stand in fron of 200 people and ask the question for free just to et this trial started and over. Guilty or not this has gone to long and Pelo (and his legal help) needs to be given a date for it to start with no more time. This is costing the county big bucks to keep him locked up and dealing with the legal stuff. If found guilty the family shold have to pay the county back one way or another. "

Expensive wrote on Feb 16, 2008 6:53 AM:

" Wow, I will ask 200 people if they will be swayed by the newspaper stories for $50 a person all day long. What a rip off. "

just a thought wrote on Feb 16, 2008 5:58 AM:

" My sympathies to the victims and their families in this case. The defense is obviously attempting to make the public forget by the use of the best and possibly only weapon they have: the passage of time. Our legal system has become so tilted (along with our politically correct country) that it's hard to read this stuff anymore. I'm all for innocent until proven guilty, but the system has become so bogged down in the name of defendant's rights/bureaucracy that justice for either party is becoming a pie-in-the-sky dream. "

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