Wednesday, July 15, 2009

Sheriff sets land speed record

The McHenry County Sheriff's Department set a new world land speed record for responding to a Freedom of Information Act Request from the Northwest Herald, if in fact that's what they did.

Today's online version of the Northwest Herald (www.nwherald.com) carries a link to 12 pages of deputies' reports as to their version of what happened that evening.

It is preposterous that the Northwest Herald would secure and then publish these reports. As one caller said to me, this information could be used for Identity Theft.

Normally the sheriff's department's FOIA Officer takes 5-7 days to respond to a FOIA Request. Was this information furnished to the Northwest Herald in response to a FOIA Request from the Northwest Herald? And, if so, why did it get such a high-priority (same-day?) response?

As this year's political season comes to life, let's remember this case and whose name is on the back of every sheriff's vehicle in McHenry County!

5 comments:

QuitWhiningAlready said...

Perhaps they had it ready to go in anticipation of the filing?

Karen30036 said...

I read the reports, and now I'm torn. On one hand, I know officers least favorite calls are the domestic. Emotions are running high and ANYTHING can happen.
This case is simply a matter of who you believe. Did Jerome really spit at an officer, or was he just angry because of the verbal assault and the officer wanted to shut him up? Did a sixty something woman actually jump on an officers back, or did she tap him on the back and the officer overreacted because emotions were running high?
This is a hard one. If I was on the jury, this couple would have to have hard evidence to convince me the officers were wrong in this case.

Zane said...

Karen, what if I told you that the deputies got together the night of the incident and the next day to write their reports together. Get ready Karen, this has just started.

Karen30036 said...

Well Blinky, that would definatly be a piece of compelling evidence. This would demonstrate something not on the up and up had occured, and the officers had to get their stories straight.
On the other hand, if this went to jury trial, all jurors know that domestic cases quickly get out of hand because of the high emotions involved. Like I said, they will need some hard evidence to prove their case.
I mentioned in another post that the spitting in the officers face and the wife jumping on the officers back are cliche stories, or excuses used to show just cause for whatever it is they did to this couple. I can't imagine a 60+ year old woman (with a bad back) jumping on a far superior physical specimen, unless of course her life, her mates life, or her childs life were somehow being threatened. As a woman myself, I know jumping on an officers back is going to get my ass kicked whether emotions are running high or not.
We'll have to see how this story unfolds ...

GeneL said...

There is a grand jury already investigating this incident,I'm sure Nygren is nervous. Lets see how the NWH spins an independent jury's decisions.