WLIP Voice of Lake County 2/22/19

Guilty Plea in Fatal Drug OD

Vander Tuuk 2-22-19

(Waukegan, IL) A Lake Villa man is on his way to prison, after admitting to delivering a fatal dose of drugs to a Gurnee woman. Glenn Trauthwein pleaded guilty to one count of unlawful delivery of a controlled substance, getting a drug induced homicide charge dropped in exchange. Trauthwein was accused of delivering heroine that ended up killing 33-year-old Colleen Todorovic near Gurnee in March of last year. The 37-year-old suspect was hit with 7 years in prison for his plea, though he was credited with just over 600 days of time already served.

Body cameras proposed for officials doing Illinois business

Associated Press 2-22-19

ROCKFORD, Ill. (AP) A Republican in the Illinois General Assembly says all elected officials in the state should be required to wear body cameras while conducting government business. State Rep. John Cabello says the intent of the bill is to reduce corruption at the state and local levels. He points to corruption of public officials in Chicago and state lawmakers getting into trouble “with bribes and so on and so forth.” House Bill 3447 would direct the State Board of Elections to develop rules for the use of body cameras by state officials. Public officials found to be in violation of the law would be subject to fines.

Lawyer call Smollett man of character, integrity

Associated Press 2-22-19

CHICAGO (AP) Lawyers for Jussie Smollett say the Chicago Police Department put on an “organized law enforcement spectacle” when its superintendent detailed investigators’ findings about the alleged attack on the “Empire” actor. In a statement Thursday night, Smollett’s legal team said Superintendent Eddie Johnson’s comments had no place in the American legal system. At a news conference earlier in the day, Johnson said Smollett owes the city an apology and should admit what he did. Smollett is accused of paying two men to help stage the Jan. 29 attack. Smollett’s lawyers say the presumption of innocence was trampled upon at the expense of their client. The statement called Smollett a man of “impeccable character and integrity” who fiercely and solemnly maintains his innocence.

Chicago’s vast camera network helped solve Smollett case

Associated Press 2-22-19

CHICAGO (AP) Chicago Police tapped into city’s vast network of surveillance cameras to help track down two brothers who claimed they were paid by “Empire” actor Jussie Smollett to stage an attack on him. Officers reviewed video from more than four dozen cameras to trace the men’s movements before and after the alleged attack to determine where they lived and who they were. Authorities have access to more than 32,000 cameras mounted on buildings, poles, train tunnels, buses and private homes. Smollett reported being jumped and beaten up by two men who shouted anti-gay and racial slurs. But his story fell apart when the brothers told police that Smollett paid them to stage the attack because he wanted to promote his career. The actor has been charged with making a false police report.