[Peace-discuss] Brian Chesley's case

[LAURIE]

> Maybe there should be a Citizens' Review Board for the office of the
> State's Attorney.

There is.  It is called an election.  But we all know how elections work,
don't we; or are we in a state of denial and delusional optimism. Unlike the
case of police officers, the State's Attorney is an elected official; the
police chief and the police officers are not.  Moreover, supposedly, the
SA's Office and its legal staff are under professional scrutiny by the
court's professional standards and ethics committee and the Bar (both of
which are allegedly independent of the Office of the State's Attorney- wink,
wink, nod, nod). 

> -----Original Message-----
> From: peace-discuss-bounces at lists.chambana.net [mailto:peace-discuss-
> bounces at lists.chambana.net] On Behalf Of Robert Naiman
> Sent: Tuesday, April 29, 2008 6:19 PM
> To: Peace Discuss
> Subject: Re: [Peace-discuss] Brian Chesley's case
> 
> Maybe there should be a Citizens' Review Board for the office of the
> State's Attorney.
> 
> 
> On Wed, Apr 30, 2008 at 12:57 AM, Shirley Stillinger
> <shirley.stillinger at gmail.com> wrote:
> > Although I share the anger and disgust voiced by many of you against
> the
> > behavior of the police who arrested Mr. Chesley, there is an
> important part
> > of the criminal justice system that has not been mentioned:  the
> Champaign
> > County State's Attorney.
> >
> > Whenever any law enforcement officer in the county makes an arrest,
> he or
> > she sends a report to the State's Attorney, who can then do one of
> three
> > things:
> >
> >      1.  Do nothing
> >
> >      2.  Refer the arrested person into a diversion program
> >
> >      3.  Take the case to court
> >
> > I think that diversion would have been the appropriate choice.  Mr.
> Chesley
> > contributed to the situation and some consequence seems appropriate.
> >
> > A couple of years ago, I witnessed a trial in a similar case.
> Different
> > State's Attorney, but the same choice.  As someone muttered in
> walking out
> > of the courtroom, "A case of prosecutorial overreach."
> >
> >
> >
> > --
> > Note new email address: shirley.stillinger at gmail.com.
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> >
> >
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