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 …
Friday, February 1, 2013
Check out this week's crime stories out of Hinsdale, Clarendon Hills and Burr Ridge.
Look back at all the crime stories published this week on Hinsdale-Clarendon Hills and Burr Ridge Patch.
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 …
Monday, October 29, 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.
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…
Friday, October 26, 2012
Patch takes a look at the efforts over the past year, inspired by the 14-year-old Lyons Township freshman, who was murdered in her Indian Head Park home.
It has been nearly a year since 14-year-old Kelli O'Laughlin was murdered in her Indian Head Park home. Police say the Lyons Township freshman walked in as her house was being burglarized on October 27, 2011 and was stabbed to death. The horrific crime motivated not only friends and family—but also strangers—to volunteer their time at events that would honor her memory. In the year since her death, numerous organizations have held fundraisers and charity projects to raise money for the Kelli Joy O'Laughlin Memorial Fund, which provides scholarships and educational opportunities for young people. As the O'Laughlin family prepares for a memorial service on the anniversary of her death, Patch takes a look at the events that have taken place …
Monday, August 20, 2012
Organizers of the weekend concert raised over $4,000 for the Kelli O'Laughlin Memorial Fund in an event designed to bring the community together and reflect on her memory.
At 6:59 p.m. on Saturday night, Mark Gomez, 15, paced nervously back and forth backstage in the Reber Center Auditorium at Lyons Township High School's North Campus. Roughly 15 minutes before the first act was supposed to go onstage for the, he was wrangling crew members, organizing performers and making sure everything was on track for the show to begin. A few minutes later, Gomez joined his fellow concert organizers and the stage crew behind the curtain for a group huddle and a moment of reflection. The group broke with a clap and the signal was given that it was time for the first performers to head out on stage. Gomez has been busy the last few weeks of his summer vacation, organizing, Joy: a concert to honor the memory of his friend …
Friday, August 17, 2012
A memorial concert in honor of Kelli O'Laughlin will be held at Lyons Township High School on Aug. 18 in the Reber Center Auditorium at North Campus.
Lyons Township High School's North Campus will be alive with the sound of music this Saturday as community members, LT students and friends of Kelli O'Laughlin come together to honor her memory with a musical celebration aptly named, Joy. The concert memorial will feature musical performances by LT students and local bands and proceeds from the show will be donated the Kelli O'Laughlin Memorial Fund. The concert is set to begin at 7 p.m. on Aug. 18 at the Reber Center Auditorium located at LT's North Campus, 100 S. Brainard Ave., in the schools main building. Tickets to the concert will cost $5 and friends of O'Laughlin will also be selling wristbands, raffle tickets, and t-shirt to raise money. Doors will open for the event at 6:15 p.m. …
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-87.879459
Lyons Township High School North Campus
100 S Brainard Ave, La Grange, IL
/articles/joy-bands-to-perform-at-lt-this-saturday-for-o-laughlin-memorial-concert
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Wednesday, June 27, 2012
The man accused of murdering 14-year-old Lyons Township freshman Kelli O'Laughlin appeared in court Wednesday morning.
The man charged in connection with the murder of a 14-year-old Lyons Township freshman from Indian Head Park made a brief appearance in court today. Police say John L. Wilson stabbed Kelli O'Laughlin to death after she came home from school and interrupted him while he was burglarizing the house. The case is still in the discovery phase, while Wilson's new attorney awaits for documents to be delivered from the state. Wilson only met his new attorney, public defender David McMahon last month. In May, Wilson dismissed his first defense team, Naperville-based John Carroll and Chicago-based Michelle Gonzalez, which was defending him pro bono. Wilson has been found mentally fit to stand trial for the 31 felony counts against him, including …
Linda Twomey
2:55 pm on Wednesday, January 30, 2013
My thoughts and prayers are with the family and friends of the victim. more ›