MOUNT VERNON – Lawyers campaigning for Democrat Supreme Court candidate Judy Cates branded a suspect as a child rapist to damage her Republican opponent David Overstreet.
Their villain Jerad Peoples, on bond like countless other suspects, awaits a trial that Overstreet and two other appellate judges granted.
Peoples missed his trial in Marion County in 2017, by nearly killing himself.
While Circuit Judge Mark Stedelin heard witnesses, Peoples slept off the effects of drugs that washed other drugs out of his body, a court ruling indicates.
Stedelin found him guilty and sentenced him to 35 years in prison.
Although a judge can hold trial for a willfully absent defendant, Fifth District appellate judges found Peoples did not act willfully.
Justice Milton Wharton delivered the opinion in June, with Overstreet and Justice John Barberis concurring.
Big Muddy prison released Peoples in July, after he posted bond.
Cates’s supporters turned the Fifth District decision into a media message stating, “Child rapist released from Big Muddy prison by judge David Overstreet.”
They stated “Clean Courts Committee” paid for the message.
Doris Bartolotti of Benton signed its articles of incorporation on Aug. 12, and Jack Scoville of Belleville signed as treasurer.
Clean Courts received $421,400 on Oct. 9, all from trial lawyers.
Tom Keefe’s firm in Swansea and John Simmons’s firm in Alton each gave $65,200.
So did Robert Clifford’s firm, Cooney and Conway, and Power Rogers, all of Chicago, and Salvi, Schostok, and Pritchard of Waukegan.
The Gori firm in Edwardsville gave $20,000.
The McNabola firm in Chicago gave $10,000.