McHenry County Blog

Terry Ekl

This morning in Rockford’s Winnebago County Courthouse, lawyers showed up for both Special Prosecutor Thomas McQueen and the Quest investigators.

They were there to fend off contempt of court charges bought by McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi.

Judge Joseph McGraw was under the impression that the contempt was “direct,” that is, it had occurred in his courtroom, but Terry Ekl, Bianchi’s attorney, explained that “some occurred outside of the courtroom, so we have labeled it ‘indirect contempt.’”

Ekl did point out that “false testimony would have been directly in front of you.”

Roger Weber, a lawyer whom I heard was representing Quest employees Robert Scigalski and Patrick Hanretty, asked for a substitution of judges.

McQueen’s attorney Matt Henderson also asked that another jurist be substituted for Judge Joesph McGraw.

McGraw tried the two criminal trials prosecuted and lost by McQueen and Henry Tonigan without even hearing a defense by Ekl having been offered.

Judge McGraw took the two motions under advisement, although he said the following about Weber’s motion, which was based on a rule numbered 114.5:

“I do not believe that this applies to criminal contempt.

“I’ve encountered this in another context.”

Bianchi attorney Ekl said that he did not acknowledge that they are entitled to the statutory procedural rights under the criminal code, but they are entitled to due process rights.

After setting up the briefing schedule, Judge McGraw asked, “Who’s to prosecute it?”

He wondered whether it would be “the State’s Attorney or a private party.”

“With your Honor’s permission, I’ll be happy to prosecute it,” Ekl replied.

Both Joyce Synek and Mike McCleary, both indicted but not convicted by McQueen and Tonigan, were in the courtroom.

Storm damage on Paulson Road in Hartland Township northwest of Woodstock.

A friend of McHenry County Blog sent the following photos of  “storm damage on Paulson Road just south of Streit.

A map showing where the trees show here fell on Paulson Road south of Streit Road northwest of Woodstock.

“Behind this tree, hidden from view are about 15 more covering the roadway.

The "tornado warning" storm as it appeared on radar as it passed over the Woodstock area.

“A resident whose drive was also covered by several uprooted trees, said his power was also out.”

Former County Auditor Ruth Rooney gave the following account of the storm in Hartland Township. Her husband is Township Road Commissioner Mike Murphy.

Here’s her reply to my question about damage:

Oh Yes, quite a bit, a large tree down on McCauley Road, had to get it moved off the road, then an old grain bin of neighbors went down. Didn’t have to do anything with that.

That all was at 9:30 then at 10:30 many, many trees were across Paulsen Road, my husband didn’t get home until 2 AM.

During that time the electric lines went down on Deep Cut Road and he had to put up barricades to keep the traffic off.

Now he’s doing the cleanup on Paulsen road, pushing all the debri off the road, (and they’re trying to get rid of Townships NOT SMART). What a mess and we’re to get more late this afternoon or evening.

This damage is minor compared to the devastation in Joplin, Missouri, last night.

Not a building or tree can be seen in this image from the Weather Channel that was taken near the severely damaged St. John's Medical Center in Joplin.

I have a special interest in that city because my little sister and her family moved there in the early 1990′s.

This was a pretty busy road in western Joplin.

St. John’s Hospital was so badly damaged that patients had to be evacuated. One employee said there was only five minutes notice before the massive tornado hit.

It's hard to find a window at St. John's that was not blown out by the tornado