Kustok Murder Trial Set to Begin in February

Allan Kustok will go on trial for murder starting Feb. 18, 2014, provided nothing changes between now and then.

The date was set after months of scheduling conflicts with defense and prosecuting attorneys on the case. Judge John Hynes had previously said he wanted the trial to begin during 2013, though during recent hearings he accepted 2014 dates as possibilities.

During the brief hearing in Bridgeview, Allan Kustok’s attorney Rick Beuke asked if Hynes had a ruling ready on a motion he filed, requesting Hynes to reconsider previous rulings that allowed certain evidence to be introduced in the trial.

Kustok is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of his wife Anita “Jeanie” Kustok.

The evidence in question included conversations Kustok had with medical staff at Palos Community Hospital and Orland Park police officers on Sept. 29, 2010, the day he brought his wife Jeanie’s dead body to the hospital. Beuke and other defense attorneys also motioned to keep details of Allan Kustok’s affairs with other women, as well as the couple’s dire financial situation, out of the trial.

Hynes previously ruled that the conversations with police and hospital staff, as well as details about the affairs, could be introduced during the trial, but not the financial information.

On Thursday, Hynes said he is sticking to his past rulings and denied Beuke’s latest motion.

An interim date was set for Jan. 10 to go over remaining trial details.

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