Sitting in jail before trial

How long should a person sit in the county jail before he gets a trial?

Should judges tolerate continuance after continuance without directing the prosecutor and defense attorneys to stop stalling and get the case before the judge for trial?

Let's say you get arrested and you can't make bail. I don't have any particular person in mind here, so let's just call him "George."

George gets booked into the slammer and there he sits. Appearance dates come and go; hearings are held. A game of musical attorneys starts and ends. Hearing dates come and go.

How long should a person have to sit in jail before he gets his day in court in front of the judge, so that the judge can decide whether to find him guilty or not guilty?

Ever try to pressure your attorney to get with it and stop fooling around? Like, while you are behind bars?

It's the judge who ought to be pulling the plug on the many, many continuances that are public record but seldom reported by the press.

Of course, an inmate might prefer to spend his days in the McHenry County Jail than an Illinois state prison. Cal Skinner's McHenry County Blog (www.mchenrycountyblog.com) reports today that Marcus Sessom is already back on the streets. He was sentenced by Judge Prather on November 9, 2009, to 2 1/2 years in prison. How much did he serve in prison? Three months, because he got credit for "good time" and credit for time served in the McHenry County Jail.

Was Sessom's parole date really 2/11/2010 - a whole month ago??? And the press didn't report his release to the public?

To see the history of Sessom's case, go to www.mchenrycircuitclerk.org and search for information on Case No. 09CF000497.