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Court overturns murder verdict Ruling: State failed to prove Casciaro’s guilt beyond a reasonable doubt By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com
and HANNAH PROKOP
hprokop@shawmedia.com Mario Casciaro, once convicted of first-degree murder, could now walk free after the Illinois Appellate Court overturned his verdict. A ruling by the 2nd District Appellate Court reversed the verdict because evidence was so lacking and improbable that the state failed to prove Casciaro’s guilt beyond a rea-
sonable doubt. “From day number one we felt that he was innocent, and we feel vindicated,” Eugene Casciaro said of his brother’s ruling being overturned. A jury found Casciaro, 32, guilty of murdering 17-yearold Brian Carrick. Carrick last was seen Dec. 20, 2002, at the grocery store where he worked, which also was owned by Casciaro’s parents. Carrick’s body never was found, and he is presumed dead. He would have turned 30
years old on Sunday. “At trial, the state emphasized the fact that Carrick’s body has never been recovered. That is as tragic as the fact that the truth has not yet come to light,” according to the rul- Mario ing. Casciaro McHenry County Prosecutor Michael Combs said, “We are disappointed and we disagree with
Students to access low-cost Internet
the decision, and we plan on filing an appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court.” It was a case that had stymied detectives and twisted and turned at every corner. After two jury trials – the first ended in a mistrial on an 11-to-1 hung jury – Casciaro was sentenced Nov. 14, 2013, to 26 years in prison. There were many flaws in the case, Appellate Court Justice Kathryn Zenoff wrote in her ruling. Prosecutors scored a mur-
der conviction on the intimidation of another and relied heavily on the testimony of the man who said he likely threw the punch that killed Carrick to convict Casciaro. Casciaro’s appellate attorney, Kathleen Zellner, said it was the first conviction of its kind in the state, if not the country. Shane Lamb, Casciaro and Carrick all worked at Val’s Foods. Lamb and others testified that Casciaro was dealing marijuana, and as one of his
sellers, Carrick owed Casciaro drug money. Casciaro, prosecutors said, used Lamb as the “muscle” or a “henchman” to intimidate Carrick into paying the drug debt. Lamb has a history of violence, with a trip to a juvenile correctional facility at 14 for attempted murder, but he lost his temper during a confrontation in the produce cooler. He had previously testified that after he punched Carrick in
See CASCIARO, page A8
McHENRY COUNTY VETERANS’ ASSISTANCE HALTED
Comcast program to benefit MCC Pell Grant recipients By ALLISON GOODRICH agoodrich@shawmedia.com The roughly 2,000 Federal Pell Grant recipients who attend McHenry County College each year now could have access to low-cost Internet through a new Comcast initiative that debuted this week. Comcast Corporation announced a pilot program to make a leading Internet adoption program, Internet Essentials, accessible to more than 90,000 low-income community college students within Comcast’s service area throughout Illinois. The availability of Internet Essentials, according to a Comcast news release, would apply to recipients of Federal Pell Grants, of which McHenry County College had just more than 2,000 last school year, according to information from the college. The program will provide students with a low-cost, high-speed Internet service, the option to buy an Internet-ready computer for less than $150, and various options to access free digital literacy training in print, online and in-person. “I think it’s a great program because it gives MCC students access – some that didn’t have access to that before – at a lower cost,” said Tony Miksa, vice president of academic and student affairs. Over the past four years, the local college has increased the
H. Rick Bamman – hbamman@shawmedia.com
Jim Koch (left) of the Veterans Assistance Commission office and van driver Ron Nickels prepare for a safety meeting scheduled for next week. A legal opinion from the McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office effectively shut down the VAC transportation services as of Monday over an insurance payment dispute.
Veterans commission shuts down
Questions delay intergovernmental agreement necessary to continue By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com WOODSTOCK – The McHenry County Veterans Assistance Commission shut itself down earlier this week in the wake of a legal opinion that redefines its long-standing relationship with county government. The McHenry County State’s Attorney’s Office opinion, based on an ongoing court case involving another commission in another county, concludes that county government can no longer provide services to
the VAC, as it has done since the commission’s 1989 creation, without an intergovernmental agreement. The county has met the commission’s human resources needs and provided liability insurance. And although an intergovernmental agreement is working its way through the County Board right now, questions have delayed its approval. Without insurance for its drivers, VAC Superintendent Mike Iwanicki as of Monday morning put a halt to daily transport of veterans
to their medical appointments at the James A. Lovell Federal Health Care Center in North Chicago – the VAC shuttles about 40 veterans a week. And without liability insurance for its handful of office employees, the commission has suspended processing claims for Department of Veterans Affairs’ compensation and benefits. A frustrated Iwanicki said Thursday morning the ruling prevents his office from taking care of the county’s veterans. The only function the VAC was performing
as of Thursday morning was providing emergency financial assistance for indigent veterans. “The only thing we’re doing right now is financial assistance, and technically we shouldn’t be doing it at all, but I can’t let a veteran end up on the streets for a problem I know will be solved, but I just don’t know when,” Iwanicki said. The four-page legal opinion dated July 16 stems from an appellate court ruling in April over a lawsuit
See VAC, page A7
See COMCAST, page A9
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Looking to end drought Undefeated Marengo heads into Friday’s game with confidence as the Indians seek their first playoff berth since 2004 / C1
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