Two males accused within the 2019 taking pictures dying of a River North nightclub bouncer obtained sharply completely different jury verdicts this week, greater than six years after the taking pictures.
Prosecutors mentioned the altercation originated in late February 2019 when Michael Matthews turned indignant about how the doorman patted him down at Sound-Bar, 226 West Ontario Road. A few week later, Matthews returned with Armond Williams, a licensed concealed-carry holder, and confronted 28-year-old doorman Thurman Bailey and different workers members on the membership’s entrance.
An argument shortly escalated, with Williams allegedly punching Bailey, prompting Bailey to tug out a gun. Prosecutors mentioned Williams responded by drawing his personal weapon and firing 4 photographs earlier than handing the gun to a different man, recognized as Jon Poole. Prosecutors claimed Poole fired 9 extra rounds, placing Bailey a number of instances and wounding membership proprietor Mark Jurczyk.
Bailey managed to return fireplace earlier than collapsing, however none of his photographs struck anybody, in keeping with police and prosecutors.
Williams, now 43, pleaded responsible to homicide in October 2019 and was sentenced by Choose Peggy Chiampas to twenty years in jail.
Matthews, 47, who prosecutors mentioned didn’t fireplace a gun, was charged underneath Illinois’ “felony homicide” legislation, which permits for a homicide cost if somebody is killed throughout the fee of one other felony. On this case, the opposite felony was forcible mob motion.
This week, each Matthews and Poole, 41, put their destiny within the arms of a jury. The panel acquitted Matthews of homicide however discovered him responsible of felony mob motion, in keeping with court docket information. Poole was convicted on all prices, together with six counts of homicide and one rely of mob motion.
Each males stay detained pending sentencing whereas Chiampas fields post-trial motions.
CPD’s superintendent on the time, Eddie Johnson, closed Sound-Bar underneath the town’s abstract closure ordinance. It in the end reopened after creating a “nuisance abatement plan.”
