Judge in Reckless Homicide Case 'Frustrated' With Prosecution's Delays
A Cook County judge agreed with the defense during a hearing Friday that the reckless homicide case against Nicholas Sord, 25, is getting "very, very old" as another status date passed with no progress and he wants to move toward a resolution.
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All eyes are now on the prosecution to move forward in the case against an Orland Park man charged with reckless homicide and aggravated DUI in connection to a fatal crash near Oak Forest that killed a 20-year-old New Lenox woman in 2010.
Nicholas Sord, 25, has been charged with reckless homicide in the incident that led to Jessica Mejia's death, and is out on bond. He was offered a plea deal, which was subsequently turned down.
Police said Sord was close to three times over the legal blood-alcohol limit on New Year's Eve 2009 when he lost control of his SUV near 147th Street and Oak Park Avenue. The defense has said Mejia caused the accident.
For the past two court hearings, prosecutor Nicholas D'Angelo has been set to submit motions in the case, but the assistant state's attorney was not present at either hearing. Details on what those motions may include have not been made public.
At the most recent status date on Friday, defense attorney Jeff Aprati remarked to Cook County Judge Frank Zelezinski, "This case is getting really old, Judge."
"I know that, Mr. Aprati," Zelezinski responded. "It's getting very, very old. And I'm frustrated because I want this to move toward disposition."
The judge is not the only one who is frustrated with the process; Mejia's family has expressed similar sentiments.
Mejia's mother Christina Mejia declined comment after Friday's hearing, as did Sord's family and his defense attorney.
The next status date has been set for March 15 in Zelezinski's Markham courtroom.
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frank
7:15 pm on Friday, February 1, 2013
The Judge, family, and any COMMON SENSE person can see what is going on.
People, WAKE UP!
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Just Interested
7:09 am on Saturday, February 2, 2013
What is going on?
Vance Johnson
4:56 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013
Nothing to see here folks- move along. Just another miscarriage of justice.
Triple-limit drunk kills somebody and they want bootcamp. Kid is driving drunk AND high on hydrocodone. He had a script for the opiates that allowed him to drive high?
http://www.suntimes.com/news/crime/10351252-418/drugs-in-fatal-dui-suspects-system-were-on-doctors-orders-prosecutors-agree.html
Prosecutor is inept or corrupt. or both- it's Illinois.
chuck
8:57 am on Saturday, February 2, 2013
Yea what is going on? It's the states attorneys delaying it not the defense. I could see the defense attempting to delay but not the prosecutors. The longer it takes the more forgotten it gets. So I see no reason why the prosecution is dragging there feet. So What is going on? Enlighten us
Steve
8:57 am on Saturday, February 2, 2013
Our court system is broke!
chuck
9:31 am on Saturday, February 2, 2013
Ha lime everything else
chuck
9:32 am on Saturday, February 2, 2013
Like
Phyllis Bonick
10:52 am on Saturday, February 2, 2013
That's right Frank! What happened to accountability!!
chuck
12:21 pm on Saturday, February 2, 2013
Again you ate acting as if the defense is stalling the case. They are not its the prosecutors stalling.
Just Interested
4:56 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013
Apparently there is still some forensic evidence still being tested. It is my understanding that the state was going to file a motion precluding the defense from introducing evidence from a reconstruction expert that the deceased caused the accident. I heard that the car was actually traveling 6 miles under the speed limit at the time of the accident and one of the states own witnesses, who was with the victim that night, told the police that just before the accident Sord had just drove her to get
her car at a bar the girls were at, and that his driving was fine. So what happened?
frank
7:22 pm on Saturday, March 16, 2013
It seems you are hearing a few things now that we can conclude are being sanitized for both the prosecution and defense.
Many of us have heard what happened when things were fresh in people's minds.
Common sense asks that this case should have moved along at a quicker pace.
Many people do not trust our Judicial System. Why? Time delays usually produce the "I know someone, or I'll see what I can do for you" approach to JUSTICE.
Justice, right or wrong, is very expensive.
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