Wednesday, February 6, 2013
One hearing after his pro se motion was granted, John L. Wilson received 2,600 pages of discovery documents Wednesday and his request to have his hands freed from cuffs during future proceedings will be considered in March.
The man charged with the 2011 murder of 14-year-old Lyons Township student Kelli O’Laughlin was back in court Wednesday morning, and during the first hearing since a granted pro se motion allowed John L. Wilson to represent himself, signed for thousands of pages worth of documents a defendant's lawyer would typically hold. Wilson, dressed in a yellow and green jumpsuit and surrounded by several armed guards, signed with cuffed hands four receipts acknowledging the state's turnover of about 2,600 pages of discovery documents to the defendant. The pages will be transported by law enforcement officers to the Pontiac, Ill., prison currently housing Wilson. Wilson asked presiding judge John Hynes if the documents could be mailed to him …
Tuesday, January 29, 2013
John L. Wilson, who is charged with the 2011 child murder in Indian Head Park, has been granted a motion of pro se with only stand-by counsel.
The man accused in the October 2011 murder of 14-year-old Kelli O’Laughlin in her Indian Head Park home has been granted the right to serve as his own lawyer as the case proceeds towards a likely trial. John L. Wilson was granted a pro se motion on Dec. 19 by presiding judge John Hynes. A public defender has been appointed as stand-by counsel only. Defendants have the right to represent themselves even against their own self-interest, said Pat Reardon, first assistant public defender for Cook County, and no one can stop them from exercising that right. But lawyers tend to think it’s a bad call. “Frankly, from the view of the public defender, it’s a nightmare,” Reardon said. “There’s an old saying that a person who has himself for a lawyer …
Tuesday, October 30, 2012
John L. Wilson, Jr., is scheduled to appear in court again next month.
John L. Wilson, Jr., the man charged with the brutal murder of 14-year-old Lyons Township freshman Kelli O'Laughlin, is scheduled to appear in court next month for a status hearing. The case against the Chicago man, who had been out on parole at the time he burglarized the teen's Indian Head Park home, has progressed slowly. Wilson was taken into custody on November 2, 2011, six days after prosecutors say he stabbed the teen to death. He was charged with first-degree murder. READ: Suspect Charged With O'Laughlin Murder Has Long Criminal History Wilson was presented with a 31-count felony indictment that included charges of first-degree murder, residential burglary, armed robbery, aggravated unlawful restraint and home invasion on …
Sunday, October 28, 2012
On a Saturday night exactly one year after a girl’s murder stunned the Lyons Township community, residents gathered to remember dedicate a new memorial.
On October 27, 2011, the horrific murder of teenager Kelli O’Laughlin roiled the Lyons Township community, precipitating a yearlong outpouring that shows no sign of waning. On October 27, 2012, hundreds of community members flooded tiny Sacajawea Park in northwest Indian Head Park to dedicate a new memorial beside Kelli’s Playground, as the park’s structure has now been officially renamed. It was Kelli’s—and her family’s—name for the park, which is just about as old as Kelli would have been. The memorial consists of a plaque, a bench and an eastern redbud tree, which will flower in the bright purple that has become a symbol for Kelli’s memory. On the plaque are inscribed lyrics from Disney’s The Fox and the Hound: “Goodbye may seem forever…
Monday, April 23, 2012
Although John L. Wilson has twice proven impossible to examine, he did show new signs of comprehension in court on Monday.
The man accused of the October 2011 murder of 14-year-old Indian Head Park resident Kelli O’Laughlin has twice failed to cooperate with a mental-health examination by Cook County Forensic Clinical Services, prosecutors said in Cook County 5th District court on Monday. Attempts were made to examine John L. Wilson on April 17 and April 20, both unsuccessful. Exam administers asked for an extension to try again, which Associate Judge John J. Hynes has granted. Hynes once again remanded Wilson to the Cook County Department of Corrections for a third exam later this week and issued a warning that future lack of cooperation would automatically invalidate any type of insanity defense. In contrast to his last court appearance, Wilson generally …
Monday, April 2, 2012
The community of Indian Head Park has issued a proclamation that her birthday will be celebrated every year as a memorial day to the slain teen starting today.
At 3 p.m. Monday, residents of the community of Indian Head Park will observe one minute of silence in memory of Kelli O'Laughlin, who was brutally murdered in her own home last October. On what would have been her 15th birthday, the community has designated today and every April 2 going forward, Kelli Joy O'Laughlin Memorial Day. A proclamation dated March 8 and signed by Indian Head Park Mayor Richard S. Andrews stated in part, "Whereas Kelli Joy exhibited a vivacious personality, love of life and concern for others as exemplifiied by her infectious joy and sparkling smile, and had dreams of using her God-given talents someday as a pediatrician or school teacher; and whereas Kelli Joy was lost to us before she could achieve the promise …
Friday, November 4, 2011
Wilson will appear before a judge in bond court this morning on charges of first degree murder in stabbing death of Kelli O'Laughlin.
(Updated news from this story with full details of the crime and investigation can be found here.) Information on the criminal background of the person charged can be found here.) Charges have been filed in the murder of a 14-year-old Indian Head Park teen. Although police have yet to release an official statement, the Chicago Tribune, Chicago Sun-Times and NBC5 report that the charges are for first-degree murder. John L. Wilson Jr., 38, of Chicago has been charged in O'Laughlin's death. Wilson is set to face a judge in bond court this morning. According to Fox News Chicago, Wilson was stopped the night of the murder by a Willow Springs police officer. Wilson told the officer his car had broken down and he was getting a cab. The officer …
Thursday, November 3, 2011
Evidence is being evaluated by the state attorney's office and charges may follow on Friday.
UPDATED: 9:40 p.m. Indian Head Park police and the Cook County Sheriff officially have confirmed that they are holding in custody a suspect in the murder of Kelli O'Laughlin. “I hope that this little bit of info that we have tonight will let [the community] sleep easier,” said Indian Head Park police chief Frank Alonzo. "We think that you can all sleep easier tonight.” Alonzo and Sheriff Tom Dart confirmed that the individual in custody has served jail time before. No more information about the individual was given. They have presented all leads, information and evidence to the Illinois state attorney's office. No charges have yet been filed, but they are likely to come on Friday or in the near future. The police chief and sheriff offered…
Monday, October 31, 2011
Donations are being taken at the Indian Head Park Administrative Center and Hinsdale Bank and Trust.
A fund has been established for those who want to add to the reward money for information leading to the arrest and conviction of the person or people responsible for the murder of 14-year-old Kelli O'Laughlin. Police say the Lyons Township freshman was stabbed to death on Oct. 27, after coming home from school and walking in on a burglary taking place in her own home in Indian Head Park. Over the weekend, an anonymous donor stepped forward to donate $10,000 as a reward to anyone who could help police catch O'Laughlin's killer, according to FOX Chicago. Shortly afterward, two more donors stepped forward, bringing the amount to $30,000, according to the Chicago Tribune. Since then, community members and people touched by the tragedy have …
41.8016
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Friday, October 28, 2011
Friends who knew Kelli O'Laughlin since kindergarten will miss her.
About a dozen Lyons Township High School freshmen tied white ribbons around trees in front of the school in Western Springs Friday afternoon. "They're white, because white is pure, just like Kelli," said Abby, a friend of fellow freshman Kelli O'Laughlin, 14, who was murdered after getting home from school on Thursday. The group of students are remembering Kelli by putting together scrapbooks of their times together, and a memorial Facebook page has been created. Most of the students had gone to school with Kelli since kindergarten and several were on the cross country team with her. Friday afternoon, they wore purple ribbons around their heads. "Purple was her favorite color," said Lindsey, another LT freshman, who said she used to call …
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Linda Twomey
2:55 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victim. more ›