A bill which would extend the statute of limitations for certain sexual offenses has passed through the Illinois Senate and is now heading to the House for consideration. House Bill 1418 passed by a unanimous vote of 51-0.

The crimes which would be considered sexual offenses under the proposed bill are armed robbery, home invasion, kidnapping, or aggravated kidnaping if they occur during the commission of criminal sexual assault, aggravated criminal sexual assault, or aggravated criminal sexual abuse.

A statute of limitation provides the period of time in which a person can be charged with a crime. The countdown begins the day the crime is committed. The statute of limitations depends on the particular law pertaining to the specific charge in question. Once the amount of time prescribed by law has passed, a person can no longer be charged with that crime.

In early 2011, Henry Benjamin III, 39, led police on a wild chase through several northwest suburbs before crashing his car into a West Dundee police car, injuring several officers in the process, according to the Chicago Sun-Times. Benjamin plead guilty this January to one count of aggravated DUI and one count of aggravated driving on a revoked license, and faces punishment for two Class 2 felonies, according to a release from the Kane County State’s Attorney’s office. When tested the night of the incident, records show that Benjamin’s blood alcohol level was twice the legal limit. 

The ordeal began when Carpentersville police stopped Benjamin for a routine traffic violation on Route 25. Benjamin failed to “provide the officer with his driver’s license and proof of insurance, and when he attempted to reach into the center console of his car, the officer became alarmed and a struggle ensued,” according to the Sun-Times. The officer was dragged behind Benjamin’s car for a short distance after the drunk driver pulled off, and proceeded to lead “multiple squad cars from multiple jurisdictions on a lengthy chase at speeds over the speed limits,” until losing control of his car. One officer continues, at the beginning of 2013, to recover from injuries sustained in the incident. A 2008 report issued by the International Association of Chiefs of Police (IACP) states that, by far, automobile, motorcycle, and aircraft accidents cause the most law enforcement officer deaths each year. “Although the way the FBI reports this data renders uncertain how many of these incidents involve a high speed pursuits,” the IACP report states, “the numbers are still compelling.” If you or someone you know has been charged with a DUI or have lead the police on a high-speed chase and are now facing aggravated driving charges, don’t go through it alone. Contact a dedicated Chicago-area criminal defense attorney today. Image courtesy of FreeDigitalPhotos.net

According to a recent WGEM.com article, a new law has taken effect in the state of Illinois as of January 1, 2013, which will provide severe penalties for parents who allow their underage children to consume alcohol at their homes or other properties under their control. This new law makes it a criminal offense for parents to allow minors, or anyone under the age of twenty-one, to drink at any property they own, including their homes, cabins, boats, lakes, or campgrounds. Supporters of the law say that it will put added pressure on parents to ensure that their children and their friends are not using their property for the purposes of consuming alcohol. For those parents who have knowingly allowed their underage children and their friends to use their property for the purposes of alcohol consumption under their supervision in the past, the new law may be a deterrent to permitting such activities in the future.

Any parent who is found guilty of allowing a minor to consume alcohol on his or her property will be convicted of a Class A misdemeanor under Illinois law, which carries a minimum $500 fine. Furthermore, if the incident results in great bodily harm or death to any person, then the offense becomes a Class 4 felony under Illinois law, which is punishable by jail time.

In some cases, it may be difficult to prove whether an adult knew that underage drinking was occurring on his or her property. A lack of knowledge, then, might serve as a potential defense in charges brought under this new law.

According to a story in the Chicago Tribune, an off-duty police officer on his way to work began his shift a little earlier than planned when he noticed two men stealing mail from a postal truck and stopped them in the act. The men were not in uniform, yet they were unloading packages from a U.S. Postal truck parked on the 5900 block of West Fulton Boulevard. The officer watched them load the packages into a Black SUV that was parked close by. After loading the vehicle, the men sped off.

The officer began following the men and called into 911 with the description and information about the men and the SUV they were driving. Officers who were monitoring the radio spotted the men and began following them. When one of the men realized they were being followed by police officers, he began throwing the stolen mail out of the vehicle and onto the street.

Officers pulled the SUV over and arrested one of the men, Darrick Smith, 43, of Chicago, who was charged with burglary. The other suspect fled and was not caught. Police believe the two men broke a window in the mail truck, using a large piece of concrete that was found lying next to the truck.

Chicago police ran into a surprising turn in a case where a man was found burned in a trash can in the Logan Square neighborhood of Chicago, when an autopsy showed the man was strangled. The Chicago Tribune reported a story about the case, along with stories of numerous recent shootings. If you are charged for a crime, contact us today.

Rodolfo Hernandez-Bey, 39, was found burned in a trash can in the Logan Square neighborhood on the night of November 6, according to authorities. After an autopsy found Hernandez-Bey was strangled, the death was ruled a homicide, the Cook County medical examiner's office says.

According to the medical examiner's office, Hernandez-Bey was found dead and burned a in garbage can around 9:20 p.m., and Hernandez-Bey, a Chicago resident himself, had to be identified through fingerprint analysis.