Apparently, it’s been settled.

Regular readers will remember that last fall, there was an incident in Eldorado involving a new cop, Ryan Ward, who, while searching for someone in a particular neighborhood, came upon the wrong house, this one belonging to Jason Robershaw. Ward went around the back of the house and encountered Robershaw’s dog, Smokey, and shot Smokey, later claiming that the dog “attacked” him…and the city’s errant police chief, Freeman Shannon Todd Deuel (STD) backing him up in paperwork later on.

Well, today, Robershaw posted this on his Facebook page:

Concerning the Smokey situation: My attorney and I settled with the city. Although they deny any fault in the matter, their insurance paid their deductible. It is not what I wanted but it is at least some acknowledgement. I would suggest installing video and audio surveillance on your property and in your car. That’s what I’m doing to protect myself against future encounters with dishonest police officers.

Freeman STD…he’s like a disease….every bit as contagious.

We’re happy that something came of it, and of course that doesn’t replace Smokey at all, but at least this came of it: Someone is speaking out about the “dishonesty of police officers.” While Robershaw didn’t specify anyone, the article we ran covering the situation in full, including giving the police report where it’s obvious STD lied to cover Ward’s ass (Ward was still on a probationary period), clearly showed what some of the cops in ‘rado are capable of. And none of it is going to change until someone gets Deuel out of there and gets a police chief in who won’t resort to bullshit when something of this nature happens. So think carefully during your next election cycle, ‘rado…STD serves at the mayor’s pleasure, and a new mayor may or may not fix things.

Terry Payton going to the elevator after the verdict was over.

Payton was 16 at the time he was charged as an adult with murdering his mother, Kathie Payton, a chronic and violent alcoholic and drug user, in June of 2011. Payton claimed she was physically attacking him and was going for a knife kept in a cabinet when he grabbed a steak knife and delivered a series of six stabs, one of which punctured an artery near her lung and killed her within a matter of moments. His claim was self-defense; he was charged with First Degree Murder, but lesser charges were included for the jury, and they went with second Degree, which meant that the jury believed that Terry believed he was acting in self-defense, but there was no cause for self-defense.

Payton’s attorney, Bob McIntire of Danville, filed a motion in March asking for the court to grant Payton an acquittal, or short of that, a new trial, based on several reversible errors McIntire claimed occurred during the jury trial proceedings, which took up the better part of the end of February.

One of the most egregious errors was the presentation by Edgar County state’s attorney Mark Isaf of an autopsy photo late in the trial of Kathie Payton. It had been previously agreed upon not to display that particular photo, but Isaf did so during the state’s case, and McIntire actually called for a mistrial in a sidebar. Edgar County judge Steven Garst denied it, so McIntire used that, as well as six other points that occurred in the trial, as reversible error.

The sad fact is that the lower court judges don’t often reverse themselves, so this probably won’t be the case tomorrow; any reversal will likely have to go through an appeals court, and it’s unclear whether Payton—through his family—has the money to pursue that.

The relentlessly annoying Isaf, apparently seeking to capitalize on the fact that McIntire has the floor tomorrow, today filed a motion to “set cause for sentencing” of Terry. For whatever reason, the presentencing investigation isn’t done, as was promised would be the case by the end of April. Whether Isaf’s prodding will make it go a little faster is unknown….or, whether McIntire’s motion has slowed things down on it is ALSO unknown. So we’ll see what happens tomorrow…the girls are on it, and will be reporting as soon as they know something.

In the meantime, you can still donate to Terry’s defense fund by depositing any amount at First Bank and Trust, 101 South Central, Paris, Ill., account number 01-6007081…or, you can visit these lovely ladies at Terri’s Threads across the street on the east side of the courthouse, where they have these t-shirts that are fundraisers for Terry Payton.

Terry T-shirts

Maynor was relieved of duty as chief deputy and from the Hardin County Sheriff’s Department April 30.

Newly-elected sheriff JT Fricker has told Disclosure that the decision to relieve Maynor was strictly budgetary.

Tom Maynor

“There seems to be some people trying to make more out of this than what it is,” Fricker told Disclosure. “It was a financial decision that began saving the county money immediately.

“The letter signed by myself and Tom specifically says this was in no way a disciplinary decision.”

Part of the savings with the current setup include the deputy who took Maynor’s place on the roster, Bobby Deppin, drives his own car back and forth to work.

Deppin lives in Saline County as did Maynor, who did drive his cruiser back and forth from Harrisburg to Elizabethtown everyday.

Now Hardin taxpayers are not footing the bill for the additional gasoline and wear and tear on the cruiser.

According to sources, Deppin is also not working a full 40-hour week, as was Maynor.

Those hours are being absorbed by Fricker who, according to sources, is on-call 24/7 and works an average 12-hour day.

When asked about his hours, Fricker told Disclosure he doesn’t like talking about himself because he considers the work of his department a group effort with everybody pulling together, doing what it takes, to get the job done.

State’s attorney’s take

After a little back and forth on the definition of “employed,” state’s attorney Tara Wallace told Publisher Jack Howser that Maynor was still working for her office but was not getting paid.

Well, actually, he is paid $1 but Wallace said, but “a dollar is equal to just about no money in my book.”

Wallace said she has checked on rumors that Maynor has been “let go” from several police departments for one serious infraction or another but nothing concrete has surfaced.

“Tom has worked hard for this office and is coming in now for little or no pay to finish up the cases he was handling,” Wallace told Disclosure. “I have checked with authorities myself and have been presented no proof of wrongdoing on Tom’s part past or present. I have never made decisions on rumor and don’t intend to start now.”

Wallace’s support of Maynor has not wavered since rumors surfaced in early April.

Dupo incident

According to an article appearing in the Wednesday, March 6, 2002 edition of the Belleville News-Democrat (which is available online), Maynor, while employed by the New Athens police department, was at the American Legion Hall on Fifth Street, Dupo as “part of a (February 16, 2002) Valentine’s Day party crowded with off-duty police officers” when a couple of the cops “slipped into the ladies room with a digital camera.”

Maynor along with St. Clair County Deputy Matt Jany were later arrested and charged with misdeameanor Disorderly Conduct for “going into the girls bathroom and taking obscene pictures of girls,” according to court documents; Maynor was also charged with misdemeanor Assault for allegedly threatening Dupo firefighter James Smitt, who was serving as bouncer at the party.

Witnesses said Smitt wasn’t the only one Maynor mouthed off to; Legion Commander Jim Wolf advised Maynor and  harassed his bartender, Irma Gould, when she found them in the restroom and ordered them out.

To add insult to the situation, when Maynor and Jany left the building, one of them (patrons couldn’t identify which) showed his ass—literally, by dropping his pants all the way to the floor before shuffling out.

The Dupo police chief, Doug Keys, present at the party, disagreed with the arresting officer and covered for the two, stating that they “didn’t actually go into the restroom with the digital camera, just stood outside taking pictures of their dates who were inside.”

However, that completely contradicts Gould’s statement that she went in and found them there, which was the thing that actually lead to the allegations and charges.

Maynor’s case (number 02OV0000803) was later plead down to a simple Disorderly, and he went on to work at another police department because no one took action at that time.

Another incident in Dupo had made the papers two years prior, when Maynor was being scrutinized for “impeding an investigation” into an incident that involved one of his friends in the village.

To read the entire article, which appears in the current (May-June 2013) print version on stands now, simply sign up for an online membership and get your e-Edition, or visit any of our vendors, including those in Hardin: The Rose Hotel in Elizabethtown or Harbison’s at Karber’s Ridge.

Unconfirmed reports of political friction

There are unconfirmed reports of a bit of a political tussle between sheriff Fricker and prosecutor Wallace.

Neither could confirm reports of difficulty between their two offices.

(Publisher’s note: We would advise watching this story as many details are currently being held by Disclosure pending confirmation).

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Eric Gregg’s front-page photo with cutline

HARRISBURG—The appointment of Harrisburg Mayor Eric Gregg to Illinois’ Prisoner Review Board was not an unexpected thing when it occurred on April 26, 2013.

However, what’s ensued in the weeks following has been somewhat unheralded.

And, combined with rumblings in other sectors of Saline County, it’s beginning to look like things are heating up for the power brokers of the area.

Just what that will mean for those in positions of power remains to be seen, however, as insiders say that the fabric that’s holding together what’s considered one of the most corrupt counties in downstate is rumored to be fraying at the seams; and, if this is the case, no one can blame Gregg for taking the state position and getting the hell out of local politics before things are ripped to shreds.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To read the rest of the story (and view all photos associated with it), simply click here to get the e-Edition, or visit one of our Harrisburg vendors: J&J’s Drive-Thru Liquors, Book Emporium, or Graf Ink Printing.

Aaron Rector, 16, is reported to have been involved in a series of alleged crimes involving vehicles—again—including setting one vehicle on fire, this somewhere in Saline County (we’re still getting the details).

As far as we can ascertain from initial reports, Rector, another juvenile, and two adults were in on the alleged spree. The others involved wrote out statements pinning Rector down to the alleged thefts, although Rector is telling authorities he was just ‘in the back seat’ when this was all going down, and that the others were the ones actually up to no good and committing the crimes. Reportedly, all involved were drinking, which just exacerbated things.

Maria Rector, looking unusually happy to be in DOC at Logan Correctional

Aaron Rector from a couple of years ago

Rector was shipped back to Franklin County juvenile detention, where he’s spent the better part of the past several years and where, probably, he should be kept (juvenile detention…ANY juvenile detention up to and including IYC), since he can’t stop getting in trouble, whether he’s instigating it or whether he just gets drawn in. Regular readers will recall that Rector was involved in car thefts from more than a year ago, and at about that time, it was also learned that his older brother was the victim of an alleged sex predator (scroll down to the bottom of the page at the link)—his own stepmother, Maria Rector, 25, with whom it’s been alleged the older brother fathered one of her children, and maybe two. Rector finally entered a plea in her Saline County case regarding the matter (she was also charged in other counties, including White) and is currently in DOC for the next several years on the sex charge….all of which probably doesn’t make the young Aaron Rector feel any better about himself OR his brother.

Since Aaron is on parole from the 2012 incident, we’re hearing it’s likely he will be shipped to IYC. We should have more in the next print version, as it takes a while for these things to develop…so be sure you’re watching for it, and of course you can always get an online membership to read the e-Edition; sign up today!

It’s “sort of” because no one was injured, so it wasn’t exactly “a shooting”…it was just a resident firing in the air. However, there was reportedly an arrest, and here’s what we know:

An iN THE AIR shooting….

At about 10:20 p.m. last night (Friday, May 17, 2013) Adam Fancher was at his parents’ house (the Terry Fancher residence) at The Ridge in northwestern Clay County when he fired a weapon into the air, “blowing off steam,” as it was characterized to us by unofficial sources. But, as it turned out, Adam Fancher is a felon, and having a weapon in his possession—firing it notwithstanding—reportedly violated his parole.

Someone called the cops, and the response was massive, as it usually is at The Ridge. At least five state troopers are reported to have arrived with the locals, and were there until 3:30 a.m. or so, when it was sorted out and Fancher was reportedly taken in.

And that’s all there was to that.

Rampant rumors about another shooting, this one in another location (we’ve heard Flora, as well as Louisville), have no basis in fact. The gist of these was that Robert Sherman had gone on a rampage and shot people, supposedly members of his family. THIS IS NOT THE CASE, and there’s simply nothing to it. How this one got started, we may never know. But our sources have been calling law enforcement and bugging them about it all day, and it’s just not real. So everyone worried about that one can rest easy.

Check back frequently about The Ridge situation, to see if there are any changes.

“It appears they were after drugs,” Hardin County sheriff JT Fricker told Disclosure.

NOT the pharmacy in question…just a generic image

Fricker said the break-in took place sometime after midnight, Thursday, May 16.

“It was an employee who came to work on Friday morning and found that someone had thrown something through a window to gain entry,” Fricker said.

The sheriff said the only thing taken was hydrocodone.

When asked, Fricker said he was not prepared to discuss any potential evidence gleaned from surveillance cameras located at the pharmacy.

He did confirm that Illinois State Police Crime Scene Technicians were called to process the scene for evidence.

“We are expecting to make an arrest in the pharmacy break-in in the very near future,” Fricker said.

Sheriff Fricker said his department is also investigating an unrelated residential break-in during which a PlayStation 3 was taken.

We’ve learned that the female in question was Adina Montgomery, who has a minimal criminal history in Lawrence, but whose exploits when intoxicated are kind of becoming legendary.

Below is the original post.

LAWRENCE CO.—It sounds like a belligerent, intoxicated female has gotten the best of Lawrenceville officer Brandon Sapp’s police vehicle.

Reports to Disclosure this evening, Friday, May 17, 2013, indicate that a female was taken into custody at Tykal’s American Bar in downtown Lawrenceville at about 10:20 p.m., after it was reported that she was “fighting” in the bar.

We’re unclear on any more of that aspect of it, but we do know that when Sapp took her into custody, she was kicking at him and other officers responding to the scene…then when she was put in the back of Sapp’s cruiser, she reportedly kicked the back window out.

When she arrived at the county jail at 10:25, she was reported still kicking the cage between the front and back seat of the cruiser…and just about anything else she could get her feet on.

Check back with us in the morning, when hopefully we’ll find out who this female is, and whether she had her good boots on.

Whoops. Wrong on that count tonight, cupcake.

Our report this morning was that Lou, who owned/operated Lou’s Restaurant on Judy Avenue in Bridgeport, had been found dead in his home after he missed his bus route (he drives for the local school system.)

However, that wasn’t accurate: He had been found unresponsive and bleeding from his head, lying on the floor of his place.

Lawrence County sheriff’s authorities broke down the door of his place and was able to get to Lou, called an ambulance, and he was transferred to Gateway in Evansville, where he was in very serious condition. He died earlier this evening, according to the family. They’re uncertain of the cause of death, as well as of the cause of the bleeding; he may have hit his head after falling, or he may have had an aneurysm.

From the earlier post: Lou has relatives in some of our favorite county offices including the circuit clerk’s office, where Circuit Clerk Peggy Fredericks is a cousin, as well as the Red Hill School District, where Peggy’s brother, Bob Christy, is on the school board.

Lou’s has been a vendor for our paper almost since the establishment of it in 2003, at times selling literally hundreds of copies of Disclosure and always being one of our top vendors, as his restaurant is a favorite stop for folks in Lawrence, with a convenient drive-up window where people could buy their papers without fear of being hassled by former mayor Max Schauf or any of his cronies (Lou was the kind of guy who would tell Schauf to “blow it out his ass” if ever he dared to give any of the restaurant’s customers a hard time, anyway). As well, the restaurant has one of our favorite lunch servings, a fantastic taco salad, which they advertise in our paper as “Disclosure‘s favorite,” and one of which we just picked up Tuesday night during delivery.

Our deepest sympathies to the family of Lou Satterthwaite; we’re going to miss him and his raucous laughter and bad jokes (he was a constant jokester and they were usually always the same jokes every time, but that just made them even more funny). When we learn about funeral arrangements, we’ll post them, as we’ll likely attend the services.

Zephrum and Lily Jones

CLAY CO.—A tragedy in mid-April was made even more disastrous just three weeks later when a Clay County father had his parental rights violated by his daughter’s grandmother.

Lilian (Lily) Jones, age 2, was left without a mother after Andrea Weiler, 25, died two days following an ATV accident in Jasper County at that time.

The baby was staying with her father, Zephrum Jones, 30, that weekend per a joint agreement between the parents that had been in affect for the past eight months, since Weiler and Jones had split up after six years and when they were both living in Vincennes, Ind. Jones had moved back to Flora, and Weiler was still living in Indiana when the tragic accident occurred.

As the baby’s legal surviving parent, Jones immediately stepped up to the plate and began to make a life for his toddler.

However, all that came to a crashing halt when the little girl’s maternal grandmother refused to return her after a visit Jones allowed her to have during the first weekend in May.

Now, facing an unnecessary guardianship case in Clay County circuit court, Zephrum Jones is doing everything he can to get Lily back home.

But it appears that the grandmother, Sherrie Kittle, is driven by something more than just concern for the little girl, as court documents show; and a judge has already deemed that the matter can’t be resolved on any kind of emergency basis after Jones attempted to get his daughter back, first through law enforcement, then with a petition for Order of Protection.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

To read the rest of the article, simply click here to get an e-Edition membership for only $5.99 a month, or pick up a copy of our current print version at these vendors, including Party House in Flora, Needmore Store in Louisville, The Price is Right in Clay City, MotoMart in Salem and Olney, Bottle Hut of Noble, Bottle Junction in Newton, and The Gas Station in Ste. Marie!