Transcript in Last Zane Seipler Wrongful Termination Court Hearing – Part 3

December 24th, McHenry County Blog ran the first part of the December 15, 2010, transcript of a Rockford hearing before Magistrate P. Michael Mahoney. December 25th, the second part was published. This is part 3.

The underlying case is one in which former McHenry County Deputy Sheriff Zane Seipler, who ran unsuccessfully against Sheriff Keith Nygren in the spring GOP primary election, sued the department for wrongful termination. Racial profiling has been a centerpiece of the case.

MR. HORWITZ: Judge, to be clear, he also said under oath —

THE COURT: Okay. No. Keep going. I’m listening.

MR. HORWITZ: — that he’s in fear of his life. Okay. He looked at us straight in the eyes, both the defense attorney and myself, with eyes red — and, you know, I’m telling you what this man said, and he has been, Judge — he is presently telling his story, and this matter is being investigated with the Illinois State Police. He’s previously been with the FBI. So, when I say these things to you, I’m not just saying there’s just this half-cocked guy telling a story.

THE COURT: I understand, and that may be another case. The only thing I’m stopping you on and that I have a problem with is it’s tangential as to this case.

MR. HORWITZ: I’m just saying that to you not to say that I am here as an AUSA. I am saying this to you because it just goes to certain concepts attributable to credibility versus just some knucklehead flying off the handle and just saying things. That’s all I’m saying. It’s just a credibility issue.

THE COURT: Yeah, I know. You told me 404, 608. But I’m going —

MR. HORWITZ: No, no. Credibility as to Milliman, Deputy Milliman. In other words, you said did he really say these things, and I’m saying to you yes, he did.

THE COURT: Well, I wasn’t there. That’s the only reason I asked that.

MR. HORWITZ: Okay. He’s not denying it.

MR. SOTOS: He said the sheriff told him to murder somebody, too. He said a lot. He said the things that Mr. Horwitz said he said, and he said the sheriff told him to push a guy in front of a train who was a political opponent and that he told him to hang another guy and make it look like a suicide. And he said some of the stuff that Mr. Horwitz said, too. And I guess — I don’t know if counsel wasn’t done. So, I’ll —

THE COURT: No, that’s okay, counsel.

MR. HORWITZ: Just to be clear, Judge, he’s a very active member of the department. He’s been there about 15 years. He’s presently engaged in drug arrests and whatnot. He’s working very hard for the department right now.

THE COURT: He’s still working for the sheriff?

MR. HORWITZ: Yes. So, he’s working —

MR. SOTOS: Today he is.

THE COURT: Any proceedings started against him?

MR. SOTOS: I don’t have — I can’t really comment on what’s going on internally, but we did provide the sheriff with the deposition, Judge, and —

THE COURT: That’s not your business, anyhow, now that I think about it.

MR. SOTOS: Right. That’s how I’m looking at it.

THE COURT: That’s somebody else’s business, as far as that goes.

MR. HORWITZ: Before the deposition, I looked at his personnel file, any allegations lodged against him. There’s nothing, except for maybe a couple times he didn’t write a report correctly. So, that’s it.

THE COURT: All right. Now —

MR. HORWITZ: There’s another scheme.

THE COURT: What do you want to do? What else do you want to do so I can finally get this case — I mean —

MR. HORWITZ: Do you want me to tell you the other scheme or no?

THE COURT: No.

MR. HORWITZ: Okay.

More tomorrow.


Comments

Transcript in Last Zane Seipler Wrongful Termination Court Hearing – Part 3 — 13 Comments

  1. YIKES. When will all of this be in the newspapers, as it should be?

  2. Why would a newspaper print this?

    It stinks to high heaven.

    If you believe all that has been written on this you are in serious need of help. Are we really suppose to believe that Nygren wanted to kill some people so he kept going back to a guy who refused him previously?

    He really kept going back to a guy that is saying that Nygren was so upset with him for not following orders earlier that he threatened to “squash him like a grape”?

    He would go to a guy who is apparently a friend of his Democratic political opponent?

    He would go to a guy who was apparently dealing with a rare brain condition, reportedly had a craniotomy expecting that there was no possibility of him becoming confused or unstable?

    He would go to a guy who was already involved as a plaintiff in a multi million dollar lawsuit?

    So the claims seems to be he hired a guy with an axe to grind against him for a murder he refused to commit so he kept “hiring” him again for other murders he also refused to commit?

    Really?

    And then this experienced officer who claims to have taken another strong stand against Nygren instead of reporting it in a timely mannner to state authorities, apparently waited a long time and then reported it to Nygren’s political adversary who he apparently is friends with in the middle of their political campaign?

    Really?

    I honestly feel sympathy for Deputy Milliman for all that he is going through in life, but to think Nygren would repeatedly keep going back to him with all of this is simply not believable.

  3. At some point these couple of disgruntled Deputies are going to have to come up with some documented evidence for everything they are accusing their boss of.

    We are left to believe that these to officers were either woefully naive as to saving or documenting evidence to these major crimes they were witness to or their simply is none.

  4. This is STARTING to sound like Joseph McCarthy, part #2. I have to go with AreYouKidding here-this is just TOO unbeliveable.

    IF, and until, Dep. Milliman’s deposition becomes available to read ourselves, this is just beyond the pale of believeability.

    Be well, Scott.

  5. Cal
    When are you going to put news on Lou, Ron ? Why are you waiting ?LoU, Ron Stories or alot better then Zane who.

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