"Guilty." (Err, wait, I didn’t mean that)

When a person pleads "Guilty" in court, should it mean anything except that the vocal chords of the defendant are still in working order?

Marco Villegas was arrested on two separate window-peeping charges in Woodstock. As happens with all almost all cases in McHenry County Courts, they drag and drag. Finally, in December Villegas pled Guilty in the first case. The other case was scheduled for trial in February.

The public has little idea how much fancy footwork goes on in the court system and how much time is wasted. In the first case on January 14, 2009, he demanded a jury trial. Why wasn’t it scheduled promptly and held? Instead, every month there was a delay. Then in December he pled Guilty. And then, before the end of December, he retracted his Guilty plea and now he wants a trial.

The second case was set for trial on February 9, after months of the usual delays. Now the first case is set also for February 9.

How does that really work in court? When two similar charges are being tried on the same date before the same judge, are they tried separately, since different victims were involved?

Why do judges tolerate such abuse of the court’s time? Why not set a trial date? Tell attorneys that they will get one continuance apiece and then the trial will be held. If the prosecution isn’t ready, the case will be dismissed. If the defense isn’t ready, the defendant will be convicted. Put the onus on the attorneys to stop delaying the cases with requests for continuance and continuance.

If a guy gets caught in the act of window-peeping – twice!, what is there left to do, except try him? What? He was making a mistake, peeping into someone’s house? His nose got frozen to the glass?

How many more cases are there in McHenry County Courts where this type of nonsense of delay after delay exists? Plenty!

Peeping Marco arrested again

Summer is here, and he's at it again.

Last night, Sunday, June 7, 2009, Woodstock resident Marco Villegas was arrested again on a disorderly conduct (window peeping) charge - this time, again, right within the block of where he lives. Villegas, 62, of 536 Bunker Street, is scheduled to appear in court on July 15, 2009, according to a press release on the City's PD website.

Thanks to alert residents, Villegas was caught in the act. After he was observed to be peeping through a neighbor's window, one party called the police while the other collared Villegas and put him on the ground. There was a struggle, but Villegas didn't get away.

About six cop cars and an ambulance showed up, and Villegas was arrested. Unfortunately, in the opinion of some, he was able to bond out on $1,000 bail. So, for $100, he could be at home, putting his feet up, and dreaming up for what he'll tell the judge this time. What did Flip Wilson used to say, "The devil made me do it." Was that Flip who said that?

This is the same guy who was arrested in about November for peeping in a window about a block away from this residence. Plus he has got a bunch of traffic tickets that are dragging their way through the courthouse.

In the November window-peeping case, get a load of the foot-dragging that is going on. If you are interested in following the November case, the Case Number is 08-CM-003217.
1-14-09 Jury demand (for trial)
2-11-09 Status - trial date
3-11-09 Status - trial date
4-7-09 Status - trial date
5-12-09 Status - trial date
6-9-09 Status - trial date

Oh, wait! 6-9-09 is tomorrow. Let's see - 9:00AM, Room 301, Judge Weech's court. I'll bet his lawyer is really excited to hear about Sunday night's arrest!!! What will happen? Will a trial date actually be set?

The victims are mad, and they aren't going away.

Interest is growing in creating new Neighborhood Watch groups. Are you fed up with this type of nonsense (and crime!!!) in our nice, little town?

Is this a town where you can leave your doors unlocked, keys in the ignition and let your children bike all over town? Ha! Well, it can be that - again. But it takes citizen involvement and demands that there be firm action by the police.

Get really clear on exactly what you can do - lawfully - to restore a more peaceful and safer atmosphere. Maybe it will mean citizen patrols. Taking license plate numbers and descriptions of all those "brief visitors" who stop just long enough to run into a house and back out to a car. No doubt what's going on there in my mind.