This non-lawyer thought the recent U.S. Supreme Court case about how prosecutors have immunity would result in the tossing of the case against Special Prosecutors Henry Tonigan & Thomas McQueen (plus Quest, their investigatory firm).
Brought by Terry Ekl on behalf of McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi and others charged improperly (all charges not withdrawn ended up in directed verdicts), the case was not killed off by that decision.
Evidence of that is the $157,500 settlement agreement you see below:
Will one or more of McHenry County Blog’s attorney readers tell us non-lawyers what the implications of such a settlement could be on the remaining defendants?
Cal:
This is a complex issue because of a number of factors.
As I understand the claims, the plaintiffs’ brought suit under a federal statute directed at deprivation of civil rights.
That can take out the state immunities that were touted by the defendants.
Moreover, Tonnigan was not a states attorney and its questionable what his willingness was to submit to the ordeal he put the plaintiffs through.
It takes serious will and money to defend such an action.
It is very possible that the substance of the settlement will place the plaintiffs in a superior position as the the remainder.
Most litigants see settlement as a preference.
However, I would have love trial on this matter given the earlier findings that there was abaolutely no support for the charges against Mr. Bianchi and his associates.
Additionally, at the second trial were demur, the arguments by Tonnigan were in essence an admission that there was no admissible evidence.
I have never seen a situation where the argument that everyone knew had to be made was met with such insufficency as at the closing of the second trial.
Mr Ekl is securing justice for the plaintifs and rightfully so.
This all reveals that judge Graham is either grossly incompetent or was willfully involved in the “witch hunt”.
These are the only two options explaining this convoluted process.
It’s interesting the local papers are not looking into this further.
They did the oposite when the attack was directed towards Bianchi.
Everything points to the “witch hunt” being initiated by Nygren.
He gets his pal Graham to sign off and then gets these failing lawyers to prosecute.
They all do this despite the evidence because they’re told to do so by Nygren.
How ugly. What abuse of powere….where are the “investigative reporters” now?
Its all set out for you people.
Look at the players.
Dalby was a Regna supporter.
Regna was involved with the Special Prosecutor petition.
Regna was supported by Nygren.
Nygren and Graham openly campaigned together last election.
Nygren employs SGT. Pyle who enacted the search warrants on Bianchi’s office.
Pyle worked vigorously on the Regna campaign.
The data Dalby stole was given to Michael Cooper.
Cooper works for Nygren.
Nygren and Bianchi can’t stand each other.
Tonnigan got his marching orders from the guy in charge and it didn’t work because the guy in charge has the intelligence of a carrot.
Tonnigan doesn’t want a trial or any discovery coming out about this.
They can’t afford to let the world know who was all involved with this conspiracy.