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Grilled take on fried green tomatoes more than an appetizer when paired with shrimp / D1 NWHerald.com
THE ONLY DAILY NEWSPAPER PUBLISHED IN McHENRY COUNTY
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FOX LAKE OFFICER KILLING
3 on videos not involved in slaying
Man accused in ’06 killings wants indictment tossed By CHELSEA McDOUGALL cmcdougall@shawmedia.com WOODSTOCK – Authorities have been quiet about what new evidence tied a former Algonquin man to an 8-year-old double murder that persuaded them to take the case to a grand jury last year. Defense attorneys for Michael W. Romano, 56, say that’s because the evidence prosecutors presented to a McHenry County grand jury was misleading and inaccurate. McHenry County Assistant Michael W. Public Defender Romano Angelo Mourelatos is asking a judge to dismiss the bill of indictment ahead of Romano’s scheduled jury trial set for Sept. 21. Romano was indicted in January 2014 for the double murder of his parents, Nick Sr., 71, and Gloria Romano, 65. The Romanos were found dead in their Lake Killarney home – between Cary and Crystal Lake. Each had a gunshot wound to the back of the head. Michael Romano, formerly of Algonquin, had long been considered a suspect, police said at the time of his arrest, but he wasn’t charged until last year. As the 2006 investigation progressed, Michael Romano stopped cooperating with detectives and would only speak with them through an attorney, according to Northwest Herald reports from the time. Romano had been living in Las Vegas and working as a cab driver when he was arrested. He’s since been held in the McHenry County Jail in lieu of $3 million bond. In the court filings, Mourelatos outlines four points from the grand jury proceedings that he believes should nullify the indictment. Some are more nuanced or as McHenry County Assistant State’s Attorney
Photos by H. Rick Bamman – hbamman@shawmedia.com
Lake County Major Crimes Task Force Cmdr. George Filenko briefs local and national media Tuesday at Village Hall in Fox Lake. The news conference was the first update from police since Friday about the search for three suspects in the shooting death of Fox Lake Police Lt. Joseph Gliniewicz. Investigators are processing DNA found at the crime scene, they said Tuesday. Police confirmed Gliniewicz’s squad car was not equipped with a dash cam. However, Filenko said he is hopeful ongoing canvassing and re-canvassing of the area may reveal more video.
Authorities obtain DNA from evidence found at crime scene Inside McHenry Outdoor Theater will show “Superman,” and all ticket and concession donations will go to the Gliniewicz family. PAGE A3
On the Web To watch videos from the Fox Lake police news conference, visit NWHerald.com.
By KEVIN P. CRAVER kcraver@shawmedia.com and KATIE DAHLSTROM kdahlstrom@shawmedia.com FOX LAKE – Investigators continue to search for three men suspected in the shooting death of Fox Lake Police Lt. Joseph Gliniewicz after they said three men seen in what they hoped were promising surveillance videos were not connected to the slaying. A week after the shooting, Lake County Major Crimes Task Force Cmdr. George Filenko said police had interviewed the men in the video compiled from residences and businesses and ruled them out as suspects using
items such as time-stamped receipts. With their “significant” video leads exhausted, police are left with the vague description – two white men and one black man – Gliniewicz gave to dispatchers in the moments before his death. Despite the blow to the investigation, Filenko reiterated police are forging ahead in their search. “I have to stay optimistic,” Filenko said. “I have to stay positive. I have to keep moving forward.” In the first update since Friday, Filenko confirmed Gliniewicz’s squad car was not equipped with a camera, and none of the video revealed so far has shown his movements that day. Still, Filenko said he hopes more
video will be revealed as police canvass and re-canvass the area near the crime scene. “Who knows if there’s other video out there?” Filenko said. Gliniewicz, 52, was killed Sept. 1 after calling in suspicious activity just before 8 a.m. in the 100 block of Honing Road. Police and community sources have identified the area as one known for drug exchanges, squatting and periodic vandalism – Gliniewicz, a 30-year-veteran of the department, at some point was assigned to keep an eye on it, Filenko said. In a glimmer of good news during a
See GLINIEWICZ, page A4
See ROMANO, page A4
Senate Democrats clinch critical votes for Iran nuclear deal By ERICA WERNER The Associated Press
AP photo
Sen. Christopher Murphy (center), D-Conn., speaks about the Iran nuclear deal Tuesday on Capitol Hill in Washington. He supports the deal.
WASHINGTON – Pressing their advantage, the White House and insistent Senate Democrats locked up the votes Tuesday to frustrate attempts by outraged Republicans to pass a legislative rebuke to the Iran nuclear accord. Four previously undeclared Senate Democrats – Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut, Ron Wyden of Oregon, Gary Peters of Michigan and Maria Cantwell of Washington state
– announced their support for the international agreement in a coordinated burst. That pushed supporters to a 42-vote total, one more than necessary to block a GOP disapproval resolution with a filibuster, and prevent a final vote. “There is no better deal available now,” declared Blumenthal, one of the Senate’s Jewish Democrats, announcing his support for an accord that is strongly opposed by Israeli leaders as well as Republican senators. Blumenthal, Wyden and Pe-
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ters were among just a handful of undeclared senators and were all considered possible “no” votes. Coming on the first day of Congress’ fall session after a five-week summer recess, their announcements were a dramatic start to what promises to be a bitter, partisan debate on the deal aimed at curbing Iran’s nuclear program. The debate will take on some of the trappings of a political circus Wednesday with presidential candidate Donald Trump preparing to headline an anti-accord rally outside the
Capitol. It will play out at the start of a hectic three weeks on Capitol Hill. Congress must also find a way to keep the government funded past the end of the fiscal year Sept. 30, and lawmakers will host a historic visit from Pope Francis. It remained uncertain Tuesday if all 42 senators now on record in favor of the Iran deal would hold together on the procedural maneuvers necessary to mount a filibuster. And the
See NUCLEAR DEAL, page A8
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