A FEW MINOR DETAILS LEFT OUT OF “MONROE TRIAL DELAYED” COVERAGE IN MSM

Tim Monroe's mugshot, April 2008

Paul McSparin, David Cox. Oy.

SALINE CO.–Reports about why Tim Monroe’s cocaine-trafficking trial has been delayed from starting yesterday (Jan. 12) to start Jan. 26 have been scant.

Tim Monroe's mugshot, April 2008

Monroe is the former Galatia High School teacher and coach who was charged with three counts of cocaine trafficking two years ago. His court case on only ONE of the three counts has been fraught with controversy in recent months following allegations that the prosecutor in the case, Mike Henshaw, might be goodbuddies with the dupe Monroe sold cocaine to, Rodney Marcum, during the time he was under investigation.

We need not make the connection at this juncture; use your imagination.

Anyway, Monroe and his attorney, Paul Christenson, reportedly spent the weekend interviewing witnesses and prepping for the trial, for which jury selection was to have begun yesterday, Tuesday, 01.12.10.

At some point in time on Monday, however, Henshaw sprung it on Monroe and Christenson that, oops, there just happened to be four more witnesses the prosecution was calling in, hope you don’t mind, Mr. Defense Attorney.

Monroe's attorney Paul Christenson

Mr. Defense Attorney did indeed mind. We’d like to see what Henshaw would do if Christenson, one of the best and brightest in the criminal defense arena in downstate Illinois, had up and sprung four new witnesses on the old judge-turned-prosecutor aka coot.

The judge in the case, Ron Eckiss, saw things Christenson’s way (which hasn’t happened very often, otherwise another prosecutor would be taking care of this case) when Christenson moved that he needed time to learn who these witnesses were and what they were going to say. You know, those things that attorneys do these days instead of popping up with surprise witnesses in the middle of a dramatic court case, a la Perry Mason.

Christenson has been, over the past week to ten days, lambasted by Henshaw in open court, followed by Henshaw calling him being all conciliatory and wanting to ‘work things out.’ Kinda like a wife-beater. All that was lacking was a dozen roses and a box of chocolate. Maybe some PBR.

But the whole thing has taken on a surreal tone. And we’re beginning to wonder about it.

Why isn’t Henshaw pursuing the two other charges of cocaine delivery? What’s he going to do with those if Monroe presents enough compelling evidence to show that he, as he has contended all along, was a victim of entrapment by some over-eager ISP drug task force guys, and a jury believes it? Would going after him on the other two be akin to double jeopardy?

And then what about these two: Paul McSparin and David Cox, who were the subjects of Monroe’s alleged “threats” a couple of months ago, that charge against him exacerbated by the fact that Henshaw claimed they were ‘witnesses’ in Monroe’s case?

Paul McSparin, David Cox. Oy.

Just what materially could they bring to the whole thing that won’t scar up Henshaw’s case?  Because all these guys—Monroe, Cox, McSparin, David Hauptman, several others—were best friends. They all took vakays together. They all ran around together. They were the ‘in’ crowd.

And Mike Henshaw and Robert Wilson were ‘in’ with them. These are the ‘burg’s elite.

So what we’re wondering is this: Henshaw has made some uber goofy moves during this case. There are some things that he’s done, and won’t undo, that if Monroe is convicted, and this goes to appeal, it’s going to get overturned and booted right back to circuit court.

Someone with Henshaw’s experience, in other words, shouldn’t pull things like four new witnesses 24 hours before jury selection begins.

We’re wondering: does he not want this to go to trial?

Does he want so much to get something screwed up with this that the first time Christenson hollers “mistrial” in court, Eckiss is going to say, “sorry Mr. Henshaw, but he’s right”? And ol Henshaw will say, “Oh, that’s okay, my bad. I’ll do better next time”??

Maybe so Henshaw can go on to the next cocaine delivery charge and try to prosecute that one properly…

…or maybe not at all, so these old connections don’t come to the fore, and people don’t really find out what Marcum’s relationship with Henshaw is?

Maybe that’s what Christenson was referring to when he said the trial would be a “bloodbath.”

Something’s up with this. It’s like it’s staring everyone in the face, we just can’t see it yet.

It’ll be interesting to see what it is when things get rolling on the 26th.

__________________________30_______________________

Short URL: http://www.disclosurenewsonline.com/?p=1884

Posted by Jack Howser on Jan 13 2010. Filed under Saline. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback to this entry