Local Crime & Courts

Report: Normal man breaks roommate's nose over countertop stain

NORMAL -- A Normal man broke his roommate's nose in a dispute over a countertop stain, McLean County prosecutors said.

Nov 07, 2009 | 5:10 pm | Loading…

Two Bloomington police officers hurt trying to arrest 19-year-old

BLOOMINGTON -- Two Bloomington police officers were hurt while trying to arrest a 19-year-old man, McLean County prosecutors said.

Nov 07, 2009 | 5:05 pm | Loading…

Woman using counterfeit checks sought

BLOOMINGTON - Crime Stoppers of McLean County needs the public's help in finding a woman who has passed six counterfeit travelers' checks.

Nov 06, 2009 | 11:00 pm | Loading…

Whalen wants new sentence in 1991 murder case

BLOOMINGTON -- Donald Whalen argued Friday that his murder sentence should be cut in half because a judge considered an invalid count when he sentenced Whalen to 60 years in prison.

Nov 06, 2009 | 11:55 am | Loading…

Judge declines to second-guess decision in Beason documents case

LINCOLN -- A judge declined Thursday to second-guess a decision by another judge to seal search warrants in the Beason murder case that are the subject of a lawsuit by three newspapers.

Nov 05, 2009 | 6:20 pm | Loading…

Hearing postponed for man convicted in father's 1991 killing

BLOOMINGTON -- Donald Whalen spent 24 hours in the McLean County jail waiting another day for a hearing he hopes will cut his prison term in half.

Nov 05, 2009 | 1:05 pm | Loading…

Dirty until proven clean: Are forfeiture laws fair?

BLOOMINGTON -- The good fortune Brian Kirkham claimed because of his brother's lottery winning streak ended July 8 when police found -- and took -- $49,460 under the spare tire of a car parked at a McLean County rest area.

Nov 05, 2009 | 9:30 am | Loading…

Public Safety 11/05/09

Nov 04, 2009 | 11:00 pm | Loading…

Relatives sought in bid to honor slain ex-Clinton police chief

CLINTON -- The killing of a Clinton police chief a century ago may never be solved, but current Chief Mike Reidy says the slain officer deserves to be honored as a hero.

Nov 04, 2009 | 6:35 pm | Loading…

Public Safety 11/04/09

Nov 03, 2009 | 7:15 pm | Loading…

Chenoa man nets 44 years for sexual assault of girl under 16

BLOOMINGTON - A Chenoa man was sentenced Tuesday to 44 years in prison for sexually assaulting a girl last year in Bloomington.

Nov 03, 2009 | 7:15 pm | Loading…

DeWitt Co. sheriff's deputy resigns after hit and run charges

CLINTON -- A DeWitt County sheriff's deputy charged with leaving the scene of an accident Friday night has resigned.

Nov 03, 2009 | 6:50 pm | Loading…

Unit 5: Kids are safe after alleged beating, gun threat on school bus

NORMAL - Unit 5 schoolchildren are safe after a Parkside Junior High School student reportedly beat another on a school bus and threatened to bring a gun to school the next day, police and school officials said Tuesday.

Nov 03, 2009 | 5:30 pm | Loading…

Murder charges dismissed in Joshua Embry killing

BLOOMINGTON -- Murder charges were dismissed Tuesday against a Bloomington man charged in the stabbing death of a local Outlaws motorcycle club member.

Nov 03, 2009 | 4:40 pm | Loading…

Police find 1,455 pounds of pot in truck; driver from Saybrook arrested

CHAMPAIGN -- Illinois State Police found 1,455 pounds of marijuana inside a rental truck that was pulled over in rural Champaign.

Nov 03, 2009 | 1:15 pm | Loading…

Former prosecutor to serve on defense team in Beason murder case

LINCOLN -- A former McLean County prosecutor has agreed to serve as co-counsel for the defense in the case against Jason L. Harris, who is accused along with his brother of killing a Beason family.

Nov 03, 2009 | 1:00 pm | Loading…

Psychiatrist examines Bloomington man accused of killing daughter

BLOOMINGTON -- A Bloomington man accused of killing his 14-month-old daughter with a baseball bat has been examined by a psychiatrist to determine if an insanity defense is appropriate.

Nov 03, 2009 | 12:55 pm | Loading…

Public Safety 11/03/09

Nov 02, 2009 | 11:35 pm | Loading…

DeWitt deputy charged with leaving scene after hitting garage

CLINTON - Illinois State Police released few details Monday about an incident involving an off-duty DeWitt County sheriff's deputy whose car struck a garage in Clinton.

Nov 02, 2009 | 3:35 pm | Loading…

Lawyer: DNA tests to allow Snow to amend petition for new trial

BLOOMINGTON - Results of DNA tests on evidence in the 1991 murder of Bill Little are on their way to attorneys in the case, according to the lawyer for a man who says he was wrongfully convicted of killing the gas station attendant.

Nov 02, 2009 | 12:45 pm | Loading…

Beason slayings have attracted a big crowd of law enforcement officers, lawyers

LINCOLN -- The cases referred to as "The People of the State of Illinois versus Christopher J. Harris and Jason L. Harris" have brought together a massive contingent of law enforcement officers and lawyers poised to handle one of the most complex criminal matters currently pending in the …

Nov 01, 2009 | 7:00 pm | Loading…

Program making progess, but Normal cops want to reach more kids

NORMAL -- A youth intervention program is making progress, but police want to reach even more kids.

Nov 01, 2009 | 4:30 pm | Loading…

Bloomington PD announces new command staff assignments, 4th patrol shift

BLOOMINGTON -- New command staff assignments and the addition of a fourth patrol shift were among changes recently announced by the Bloomington Police Department.

Nov 01, 2009 | 4:30 pm | Loading…

Public Safety 10/31/09

Oct 30, 2009 | 11:45 pm | Loading…

As many as 15 cars' tires slashed at Bloomington VFW

BLOOMINGTON -- Bloomington police were called Friday night to the Bloomington Veterans of Foreign Wars Post 454 at 1006 E. Lincoln St. after patrons reported a number of tires were slashed.

Oct 30, 2009 | 11:40 pm | Loading…

Hearing set in case of access to Beason slayings records

LINCOLN - A Logan County judge has been assigned to hear a case filed by three newspapers to gain access to documents in the Beason slayings case.

Oct 30, 2009 | 10:00 pm | Loading…

Public Safety 10/30/09

Oct 29, 2009 | 6:05 pm | Loading…

Man gets 9 years in prison after drug sting on charter bus

BLOOMINGTON -- A Wisconsin man called "a minor player" in a significant drug trafficking operation received a nine-year prison sentence Thursday in McLean County Circuit Court.

Oct 29, 2009 | 1:30 pm | Loading…

154 marijuana plants seized from basement; 2 Gridley residents arrested

GRIDLEY - A Gridley couple faces drug charges following their arrests on charges that they grew marijuana plants in a secret room of their basement.

Oct 29, 2009 | 12:20 pm | Loading…

Judge reduces bond for Beason alibi suspect

LINCOLN -- Bond was lowered Thursday for an Armington woman accused of obstructing the investigation into the deaths of Ruth and Rick Gee and three of their children in Beason.

Oct 29, 2009 | 10:55 am | Loading…

More Local Crime & Courts