Heh.
I suppose “moving out” was not an option? I also suppose stealing his car and his television and selling them for drugs and gas money to get to Chicago was just some sort of post traumatic stress disorder. Or perhaps he was high on the sugar from Twinkies, or perhaps the video games made him do it or exposure to Janet Jackson’s boob.
Whatever. It didn’t work, but my hat’s off to the punk’s lawyer for having the guts to use it was a straight face in open court.
I’m surprises, however, that Peoria County State’s Attorney Kevin Lyons decided to prosecute. I was have thought that “Catch-and-Release” Kevin, upon hearing this excuse, would have dropped all charges and given this sad character $20 out of his own pocket and held a parade for the guy. Now, had this attack happened inside a crack house ….
Billy Dennis is a former reporter and editor at small daily and weekly newspapers in Illinois and Missouri. He comments on media, news and politics. He also owns and operates 
Bill, your sarcasim cracks me up.
Bill: I don’t kmow what you have against Kevin Lyons- he has been the best States Attorney Peoria County has had in decades, and that includes Bob Manning, Mike Mihm and John Barra. No one gets a pass from Lyons, if he chooses to not prosecute a case it is because the evidence is obviously lacking, or the defense far outweighs the prosecution case. The “crack house” case you refer to-all the witnesses said the decedent was the aggresor and self defense was all the evidence present-you don’t charge someone just because the event occurred in a crack house. Lyons will nail your ass if you are a politician, a lawyer, a policeman, or whatever. He alls them like he ses them, and he has a highly qualified staff to back him up-so what is your problem with him?
Pardon the misspellings in the above reply, hurrying too much today. Thanks
Roman: Talk to virtually any member of the Peoria Police department about how Lyons refusal to prosecute all but the most slam dunk cases makes Peoria an unsafe place to live.
Bill: talk to Tom Penn or Mark Rose of the Public Defenders office and get a real opinion on the prosecutor’s office-the p.d.’s is based on personal reasons.
Gee … the public defenders — the guys who try to keep their defendants out of prison — LOVE the state’s attorney’s office. I am shocked, really shocked.