CourtWatch: Burr Ridge Murder Case Continues, Geneva Teen Receives Public Service for Fight

KANE:

Geneva

A Geneva teen has been given a year of court supervision as part of a deal with in a misdemeanor battery case stemming from an altercation at Geneva High School earlier this year. Beau George was charged with head-butting, punching and elbowing another person at the school on April 20. George appeared in court on Sept. 13, when he was also ordered to complete 50 hours of public service and pay $350 in fines and costs as part of the supervision.

DUPAGE:

Burr Ridge

Attorneys in John Gilbert's murder case scheduled at least one more hearing before Judge George Bakalis with a trial date scheduled for Nov. 1. Gilbert is accused in the 2009 shooting death of coworker Jason Dragos at a Burr Ridge trucking company where they both worked. During a brief appearance on Sept. 12, Gilbert's defense team turned over reports and CDs and DVDs relating to their experts analysis of certain evidence. Prosecutors claim Gilbert killed Dragos and then attempted to make it look as though the company's management wanted Dragos dead. Gilbert has pleaded not guilty.

Elmhurst

A scheduled Sept. 12 trial was postponed for one of three men accused of scuffling with police inside an Elmhurst bar during a March altercation. Brian R. Connell appeared in court, but the case was continued to Sept. 28 when another trial bumped Connell's. Connell was charged with kicking one officer and pushing another, and resisting arrest after trying to pull away while being handcuffed during the incident at the Spring Inn. One son, Bryan, is accused of a misdemeanor battery charge alleging he kicked an officer in the midsection. Another son, Steven, faces felony aggravated battery counts alleging he punched an officer in the head. The sons have trial dates set for later this month.

In another Elmhurst-related case, a second suspect accused of a November armed robbery, has returned to DuPage County. Diego Garcia had been held in Cook County Jail on an unrelated felony, but appeared last week on allegations he used a gun to threaten a man on York Road before taking his cell phone, keys and ATM card. Garcia's co-defendant, Christopher Accardo, pleaded guilty in June to two robberies—prosecutors allege the pair also committed a similar hold up in Wood Dale—and was sentenced to seven years in prison. Garcia returns to court Oct. 12.

Lisle

A judge denied a bond-reduction request last week by library book theft suspect James Jackson. He remains held in DuPage County Jail on $25,000 bail, accused of three counts of theft from the Lisle Library. Jackson, of Glen Ellyn, was arrested in August after a four-month investigation prompted by a rash of missing books, DVDs and other items. Jackson was scheduled to return to court Sept. 19 for arraignment.