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	Police, Fire and Courts Peoria Journal-Star October 5, 2007 http://www.pjstar.com/stories/100507/POL_BEI3M5TS.033.php Manito man's murder trial for landlord death delayed HAVANA - A Manito man accused of killing his landlord will not be tried until next year in Mason County. Circuit Judge Thomas Brownfield on Thursday set a Feb. 4 trial for John Zortman, 54, to give defense attorney Kevin Tippey more time to consult with an expert witness and further review evidence. Zortman was previously scheduled for trial this month. He is charged with three counts of first-degree murder for allegedly beating his landlord, Clifford Sopher, 66, to death in September 2006. Brownfield appointed Tippey as Zortman's public defender on July 5. Zortman's previous attorney, Roger Thomson, withdrew from the case because of a conflict of interest involving two prosecution witnesses. Tippey and State's Attorney Kristen Miller expect the trial to last four to five days. Zortman remains in jail on $750,000 bond. LaSalle man indicted for bar fight death OTTAWA - A LaSalle man who was arrested after a fight that led to a Utica man's death was indicted Tuesday by a LaSalle County grand jury. Bryan Tomaseski, 23, is charged with involuntary manslaughter in the death of Andrew Sibley, 25, of Utica. On Thursday, Tomaseski retained Joseph Navarvo of LaSalle as his attorney. Navarvo will represent Tomaseski at a Nov. 2 status hearing. LaSalle police said officers found Sibley unconscious on the ground when they were called to the Two Fools Bar on Sept. 21. Sibley died the next night at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center in Peoria from a severe head injury. Tomaseski faces up to 15 years in prison if convicted, but he could qualify for probation. He remained in the county jail on $150,000 bond Thursday. Boy's death from head injuries investigated Peoria - Bloomington police and the Peoria County coroner are investigating a 20-month-old boy's death from head injuries Tuesday night. Aaron O'Brien, son of Richard and Lena Ishmael of 4 Oakbrook Court, Apt. 3, Bloomington, was pronounced dead about 6:15 p.m. at OSF Saint Francis Medical Center, Coroner Johnna Ingersoll said. Preliminary autopsy results indicated O'Brien died from head injuries, though Ingersoll said the exact nature of the injuries and the events leading to them were not being released at this time. A police spokesman in Bloomington could not be reached from comment Thursday evening. Sex abuse trial set for Bloomington ex-teacher BLOOMINGTON - A Dec. 10 trail was set Thursday for a former Bloomington minister and substitute teacher accused of sedating and sexually abusing four boys. James Love, 37, was charged in May with four counts of aggravated battery and four counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse for allegedly sedating and molesting four teenage boys at his home. He remains in jail on $40,000 bond. McLean County Assistant State's Attorney Michelle Brooks said police seized several computers from Love's home, and at least one image of child pornography was found. Last month, prosecutors said the U.S. Attorney's office was considering federal child pornography charges against Love. Defense attorney Steve Skelton said no federal charges have been filed against his client. Skelton said he plans to file a motion that would allow Love to have supervised contact with his teenage son. Before his arrest, Love was a minister at Mount Pisgah Baptist Church in Bloomington. He also worked at State Farm and as a substitute teacher in Bloomington and Normal. Jailed Bushnell man, 18, charged with burglary MACOMB - Five felony burglary charges were filed Thursday against a Bushnell man who is already in jail on misdemeanor charges. Russell L. Rechkemmer, 18, is charged with two counts of residential burglary, one count of burglary and two counts of criminal damage to property. McDonough County Sheriff Rick VanBrooker said a home on South Dean Street in Bushnell was burglarized March 14. A brick was thrown through a window, and about $250 in cash was taken from inside. On April 16, a vacant house and a shed on County Road 2000 East in rural Prairie City were burglarized. Items were stolen from the house, and spray paint was used inside. A CD changer, a speaker and tools were stolen from the shed. VanBrooker said a snowmobile from the shed was driven on the road and set on fire. Detectives found the CD changer and speaker Wednesday at two Bushnell homes. Bond on Rechkemmer's new charges is $30,000. He was in jail on an unrelated domestic battery charge. Police are looking for a second suspect in the burglaries. Galesburg man found fit to stand trial GALESBURG (GHNS) - A Galesburg man accused of hitting his son with a crowbar was found fit to stand trial. At a fitness hearing this week in Knox County court, results of a psychological evaluation for Edwin M. Peacock, 69, 10 Chestnut St., were disclosed. Parts of the report, read by Circuit Judge James Stewart, said Peacock has suffered from mental illness since the 1970s and was insane and off medication during the attack. The report also said Peacock can now understand trial proceedings because he is taking medication again. Peacock pleaded not guilty to aggravated battery and domestic battery. A bench trial is set for Oct. 12. Edwin said he hit his son, Louis, 25, with a crowbar June 17. He said Louis believed he was possessed by demons and asked his father to kill him, then cut off his head. Edwin said his son devised a plan in which Louis would take sleeping pills, then Edwin would enter his room and strike him on the head with a baseball bat. Edwin told police that after his son took sleeping pills, he could not find a baseball bat. He found a crowbar and struck Louis in the head once. According to Edwin, Louis awoke, then told his father to leave so he could die. Edwin left and called police. Louis denied the incident ever took place and refused to have his injuries photographed. Man could be jailed after allegedly receiving drugs PEORIA - A Galesburg man will appear in court today to find out if he will be held in custody pending his trial on federal drug charges. Alberto Hernandez Jr., 35, of 68 Herring Ave. was arraigned on Tuesday for allegedly conspiring with others to distribute more than 500 grams of cocaine and for possession of a similar amount of drugs. According to a previous court filing in a related case, police learned there was cocaine in a package that was allegedly sent to Hernandez's home. A Nov. 26 trial was set, with U.S. District Judge Michael Mihm presiding. If convicted, Hernandez faces up to 40 years in prison. Trailer, firefighters' gear stolen from Macomb area MACOMB - The Macomb Area CrimeStoppers chapter is seeking the public's help in solving two recent crimes. Between noon Sept. 20 and the early morning hours of Sept. 21, several machine sheds were entered in rural Industry and numerous tools were stolen. A 16-foot "Heartland" flatbed trailer also was taken. The second theft occurred at about 2 a.m. Sept. 28 in Macomb. The Fire Department responded to a fire alarm at the Aspen Court apartments on West Jackson Street. Police said an unknown male entered a fire truck and took a firefighter's jacket, flashlight, gloves and a breathing mask with a total value of more than $2,000. Anyone with information about either crime is asked to call Macomb CrimeStoppers at 836-3222. The organization will pay up a $1,000 cash reward, and tipsters don't need to give their names. Man convicted of ex-wife's murder denied new trial PEKIN - A man convicted of fatally stabbing his ex-wife in 2000 was denied a new trial on Wednesday. Alan Breedlove, 50, had filed a 40-page post-conviction relief motion in Tazewell County Circuit Court alleging 11 problems with his trial and asking that his case be reconsidered. He claimed his trial attorney denied him the opportunity to testify on his own behalf during the trial, among other complaints. Judge Stephen Kouri denied the request, saying Breedlove should have addressed concerns about his trial during his appeal process. Breedlove is serving a 50-year sentence for the April 26, 2000, death of Valerie Rakestraw. Authorities said she was stabbed more than a dozen times before her body was burned when her South Pekin apartment was set on fire. He has maintained he doesn't not remember the stabbing or the fire, which left him seriously injured. Breedlove's attorney, Dennis Sheehan, said he will appeal. The state Supreme Court in 2004 denied Breedlove a request for a new hearing.
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