McHenry County Blog

Never let it be said that McHenry County’s State Representative Jack Franks (D-Marengo) doesn’t have a good eye for what will attract media attention.

Think of his four-year fight to get cheaper prescription drugs for seniors.

Think of his many attacks on and early call for Rod Blagojevich’s impeachment after Franks’ initial attempt to get relatives and supporters appointed to various positions and Blagojevich’s release thereafter of that memo and a letter of support for licensing the Crystal Lake Mercy Hospital when the Stuart Levine scandal broke.

Now Franks has decided to take on another story with “legs,” as the media folks would say:

Pat Quinn’s botching of early release of prisoners

How many legs?

I think it dooms Quinn’s election chances in the fall, if not the primary.

Here are a week’s Chicago Sun-Times and Tribune editorials on the subject (click to enlarge).

And, take a look at what is on page 2 of the Chicago Sun-Times today.  Obviously there is plenty of potential publicity out there.

Jack doesn’t talk to me anymore at anything but public events, so let me offer my advice here.

Mruder-Related Convicts Released Early

Call Bill Bradly as your first witness.According to a WBBM-Radio story yesterday, the Republican state senator and candidate for the Republican Party nomination for governor has first-hand information from the Department of Corrections Director that Quinn made the decision about early release.

By putting Brady first, you would be providing some cover to what might be the real reason for your interest in this issue, getting State Comptroller Dan Hynes. (Pardon me if I think you are supporting him based on nothing more than the signs for Hynes that appear heavily in the Marengo area in his previous runs for office. If you are supporting Quinn, I would be happy to relay that information to McHenry County Blog readers.)

From the photos of “murder-related convicts released early” found on page 3 of today’s Sun-Times, there is a lot of potential.

At some point, someone might also want to look at sex offenders who were nnot released early under Governor George Ryan. Sometime after the Democrats took control, they started getting to use their “good time” to get out earlier.

Already Hynes is running his version of the Willie Horton ad on TV.

Hostile hearings chaired by Franks would have a re-enforcing effect.

The following press release has been received from McHenry County State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi:

State’s Attorney’s office successful in keeping sexually dangerous person in custody

McHenry County State’s Attorney, Louis A. Bianchi, is pleased to announce that

The Honorable Judge Sharon Prather ruled today that David P. Hoffman, a defendant who was previously adjudicated a Sexually Dangerous Person, will remain in custody.

The State’s Attorney’s Office opposed Hoffman’s release, despite progress he has made in treatment, arguing that he remains a dangerous pedophile.

Hoffman, formerly of Woodstock, has been in state custody since 1980. He was declared a sexually dangerous person in connection with charges that he repeatedly abused two teenage boys in the late 1970’s.

While in custody, Hoffman admitted to a state psychiatrist that he molested at least 56 children, both boys and girls ranging from ages 2 to 16.

A psychiatrist called by the State as a witness testified that Hoffman, despite his long incarceration, still shows a sexual predisposition toward children.

In addition, prison authorities recently found magazine photographs of children in Hoffman’s cell, some hidden within the pages of a Bible.

This case was prosecuted by Assistant State’s Attorney Philip Hiscock and Ryan Blackney. By statute, those adjudicated as a sexually dangerous person are eligible for a hearing for release every twelve months.