Author Archives: Jay Butchko
Murder Defendant Moves to Suppress Evidence of Text Messages on Cellphone
In the case of People v. Price, the defendant, Price, was convicted of first-degree murder by a jury of his peers. As a result, he was sentenced to a 60-year prison term. He later appealed the conviction on the grounds that his Fourth Amendment rights were violated. On July 22, 2015, the defendant was… Read More »
Defendant Appeals Convictions of DUI Causing Death on Ground of One-Act, One-Crime
In the case of People v. Rynders, the defendant was charged with two counts of DUI causing death. He entered a negotiated plea of guilty and was sentenced to 10 years for each charge to be served consecutively. He appealed his sentence. In this case, the appeals court found that the defendant waived his… Read More »
Court Denies Pretrial Release Under SAFE-T Act for Defendant Accused of Firearms Offense
In People v. Forthenberry, the defendant was charged with aggravated discharge of a firearm (a class 1 felony), two counts of aggravated unlawful use of a weapon (a class 3 felony), two counts of unlawful possession of a weapon by a felon (a class 3 felony), and one count of possession of a weapon… Read More »
Defendant Sentenced to 120 Years for Predatory Criminal Sexual Assault of a Child
In People v. Anderson, the defendant was charged with four counts of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and subsequently sentenced to 120 years in state prison. The defendant appealed the sentence and petitioned the court for relief from judgment. The appeals court denied his petition. The case’s history In 2010, the defendant… Read More »
Defendant Sentenced to 20 Years for Aggravated Battery of a Child
In the case of People v. Steele, the defendant, Steele, was convicted of aggravated battery of a child, a Class X felony in Illinois. As a result of the conviction, the defendant was sentenced to 20 years in state prison, to be served at 85% with three years of mandatory supervised release. The defendant… Read More »
Illinois Woman Awarded $1.5M in Dog Bite Lawsuit
An Illinois dog owner agreed to settle a dog bite lawsuit for $1.5 million after the dog escaped his yard and attacked a woman who was walking her own dog. According to the lawsuit, the victim was walking her female Labrador Retriever at 6:30 a.m. when three unleashed dogs escaped their yard through an… Read More »
State Must Argue Why Less Restrictive Conditions Do Not Mitigate Threat Posed by a Defendant Under the SAFE-T Act
Under the SAFE-T Act, which eliminates cash bail, the state has the burden of proving that the defendant is a threat to public safety in order to hold the defendant during and before a trial. There are several factors that the state must weigh when deciding whether or not a defendant can be held… Read More »
Allstate Attempts to Deny Claim Related to Vicious Dog Attack Resulting in Death
The insurance company, Allstate, has filed a lawsuit against two dog owners whose dog killed an elderly man last year. The widow of the 81-year-old victim filed a lawsuit against the dog owners after her husband was killed in February of 2023. The dog owners asked Allstate to indemnify them from the claim. Allstate… Read More »
Illinois Jury Awards $7.1M to Woman Severely Burned in Cooking Spray Mishap
An Illinois jury has awarded a Pennsylvania woman $7.1 million in a personal injury product liability lawsuit filed against Conagra Brands. According to the lawsuit, the woman was badly burned when a can of commercial-brand cooking spray ignited and exploded in a kitchen at her workplace, setting her on fire. The plaintiff was working… Read More »
Dunkin’ Donuts Franchisee Pays $3M to Settle Claim Related to a Coffee Burn Lawsuit
A Dunkin’ Donuts franchisee is paying a plaintiff $3 million to settle a claim related to a hot coffee burn injury. Such lawsuits are common for coffee shops and one of the most famous personal injury lawsuits in American history involved an elderly woman who was burned by McDonald’s coffee. In this case, the… Read More »