Branham case moves along

The case I was in court to watch today was the case against Christopher Branham, a Crystal Lake man arrested on charges filed after a Confidential Information provided information to a narcotics detective of the McHenry County Sheriff's Department.

The case (CF000426) isn't new. It was filed April 29, 2011.

Action got underway recently, when the defendant's attorney filed a Motion that contained shocking information about a sexual relationship between the detective and the informant.

The State's Attorney's office countered with a Motion to Quash a subpoena that had been sent to the Sheriff's Department.

The Sheriff's Department was ordered to respond to the subpoena but to direct the response to Judge Prather for her examination in camera; that is, for her eyes only.

Today there were winners and losers


Judge Prather granted part of the State's Motion to Quash and denied part of it. The judge turned over to defense counsel and to the State's Attorney's Office an interview with Detective Novak and the Confidential Informant, as well as "cards" that the C.I. had sent to members of the Sheriff’s Department.

Judge Prather quashed the remainder of the subpoena as irrelevant.

This case will be back in court on November 7 at 9:00AM, in Judge Prather's courtroom (304).