Post by WaTcHeR on Jul 28, 2006 12:27:57 GMT -5
07.28.2006 - BLOOMINGTON, Ill. - A judge refused Friday to reduce bail for a Bloomington police sergeant charged in four rapes dating back to 2002, saying he does not yet have enough information to determine if the officer would be a danger to the community if released.
During a brief hearing before McLean County Judge Ronald Dozier, defense attorney Steve Skelton argued in favor of a bail reduction, saying that 41-year-old Officer Jeff Pelo is a 17-year department veteran with long-standing ties to the community.
But prosecutors said that after three of the victims identified Pelo from photo lineups and two identified him by voice, they believe Pelo is indeed the rapist. And, they said, because the rapist stalked victims as well as raped them, Pelo would pose a threat to victims and the public if released from custody.
"The individual committing these rapes can't stop himself. ... The community needs to be protected," McLean County Assistant State's Attorney Mark Messman told the judge.
Dozier said that since Pelo hasn't been indicted yet he simply does not have enough information about the case to rule on the request for a bail reduction. But he said that he would reconsider the request once he received more information.
Pelo also was to be arraigned Friday, but Dozier postponed that hearing until Aug. 11 to allow the case to go before a grand jury. Prosecutors said the case will be presented to a grand jury beginning next week.
Friday's hearing marked the second time Pelo's arraignment was postponed. It was pushed back last week when prosecutors asked that a new judge be assigned to the case. Dozier was appointed after prosecutors said they could not get a fair trial from Judge Scott Drazewski.
That switch also delayed arguments on a motion to reduce Pelo's bail from about $2 million to $500,000. Skelton said Pelo's family cannot raise the higher amount.
Skelton told reporters he is frustrated the case has not gone to a grand jury, which he said would allow Pelo to plead not guilty and provide enough evidence for a bond reduction ruling if indictments are returned.
He also questioned victims' photo identification of Pelo, saying the alleged rapes were committed in darkness by someone wearing a mask. He suggested victims might have recognized Pelo from seeing him at the police department when they reported the crimes.
"That's a substantial possibility if not a probability in my mind," Skelton said outside court.
Prosecutors say their case is strong, but they declined to elaborate pending the grand jury investigation.
"It's not like the investigation is pointing anywhere else. All the investigation is pointing directly to Jeff Pelo," Messman told the judge.
Pelo was charged earlier this month with four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault in a four-year string of rapes that police determined last year likely were committed by the same person.
Police say the women were all single, in their 20s and were attacked in their homes. The victims also gave similar descriptions of their attacker, who authorities say watched them earlier to find an opportunity to attack.
Along with rape, Pelo was charged with two counts of home invasion, alleging he was armed with a knife in one of the alleged rapes and a gun in another.
Police said they found a mask, pry bar and other items in Pelo's home that appeared to have been used in at least one of the assaults. Skelton has called the state's case flimsy and says he hopes DNA evidence was collected after the alleged rapes because it would clear his client.
"Jeff Pelo wants to answer these charges, wants to present testimony, evidence and arguments that support his position that he bears no responsibility for any of these allegations," Skelton said outside court.
The rape charges came about a month after Pelo was charged with attempting to break into another woman's home around midnight. Pelo, who was wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, told the officer he was out looking for a home for his mother-in-law.
Prosecutors later added a charge of aggravated stalking, saying he had stalked the woman at least twice before. Pelo has pleaded not guilty to the attempted burglary and stalking charges.
Pelo is on paid administrative leave and still collecting his $81,000 annual salary. If convicted, Pelo would automatically lose his job because felons cannot serve as police officers. He also would forfeit his police pension.
www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/politics/15145766.htm
During a brief hearing before McLean County Judge Ronald Dozier, defense attorney Steve Skelton argued in favor of a bail reduction, saying that 41-year-old Officer Jeff Pelo is a 17-year department veteran with long-standing ties to the community.
But prosecutors said that after three of the victims identified Pelo from photo lineups and two identified him by voice, they believe Pelo is indeed the rapist. And, they said, because the rapist stalked victims as well as raped them, Pelo would pose a threat to victims and the public if released from custody.
"The individual committing these rapes can't stop himself. ... The community needs to be protected," McLean County Assistant State's Attorney Mark Messman told the judge.
Dozier said that since Pelo hasn't been indicted yet he simply does not have enough information about the case to rule on the request for a bail reduction. But he said that he would reconsider the request once he received more information.
Pelo also was to be arraigned Friday, but Dozier postponed that hearing until Aug. 11 to allow the case to go before a grand jury. Prosecutors said the case will be presented to a grand jury beginning next week.
Friday's hearing marked the second time Pelo's arraignment was postponed. It was pushed back last week when prosecutors asked that a new judge be assigned to the case. Dozier was appointed after prosecutors said they could not get a fair trial from Judge Scott Drazewski.
That switch also delayed arguments on a motion to reduce Pelo's bail from about $2 million to $500,000. Skelton said Pelo's family cannot raise the higher amount.
Skelton told reporters he is frustrated the case has not gone to a grand jury, which he said would allow Pelo to plead not guilty and provide enough evidence for a bond reduction ruling if indictments are returned.
He also questioned victims' photo identification of Pelo, saying the alleged rapes were committed in darkness by someone wearing a mask. He suggested victims might have recognized Pelo from seeing him at the police department when they reported the crimes.
"That's a substantial possibility if not a probability in my mind," Skelton said outside court.
Prosecutors say their case is strong, but they declined to elaborate pending the grand jury investigation.
"It's not like the investigation is pointing anywhere else. All the investigation is pointing directly to Jeff Pelo," Messman told the judge.
Pelo was charged earlier this month with four counts of aggravated criminal sexual assault in a four-year string of rapes that police determined last year likely were committed by the same person.
Police say the women were all single, in their 20s and were attacked in their homes. The victims also gave similar descriptions of their attacker, who authorities say watched them earlier to find an opportunity to attack.
Along with rape, Pelo was charged with two counts of home invasion, alleging he was armed with a knife in one of the alleged rapes and a gun in another.
Police said they found a mask, pry bar and other items in Pelo's home that appeared to have been used in at least one of the assaults. Skelton has called the state's case flimsy and says he hopes DNA evidence was collected after the alleged rapes because it would clear his client.
"Jeff Pelo wants to answer these charges, wants to present testimony, evidence and arguments that support his position that he bears no responsibility for any of these allegations," Skelton said outside court.
The rape charges came about a month after Pelo was charged with attempting to break into another woman's home around midnight. Pelo, who was wearing a black T-shirt and shorts, told the officer he was out looking for a home for his mother-in-law.
Prosecutors later added a charge of aggravated stalking, saying he had stalked the woman at least twice before. Pelo has pleaded not guilty to the attempted burglary and stalking charges.
Pelo is on paid administrative leave and still collecting his $81,000 annual salary. If convicted, Pelo would automatically lose his job because felons cannot serve as police officers. He also would forfeit his police pension.
www.belleville.com/mld/belleville/news/politics/15145766.htm