Kustok Case Plods on As Home Goes Into Foreclosure

As Allan Kustok’s court case in the shooting death of his wife remains stalled since November, a Frankfort bank filed a suit to foreclose on the family’s house.

A new judge may be presiding over Allan Kustok’s court proceedings, but the case isn’t any closer to trial. In the second court hearing for the Kustok murder case under Judge John J. Hynes, no further evidence was entered and a June date was selected for the next appearance. Defense attorneys for Kustok, 60, said they are still waiting for the state to turn over evidence for discovery–the initial phase of a criminal court case. “We’d like to prepare our defense for a trial, but the state keeps dragging their feet,” said defense attorney Rick Beuke. Each court date since Kustok entered a not guilty plea for the murder charge against him on Nov. 18, 2010, has ended with a new court date and few exchanges in words and evidence between the …

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Surveillance of Kustok Arriving at Hospital Entered as Evidence

As the court case for Allan Kustok, charged with murder in the shooting death of his wife, enters its sixth month, a DVD of surveillance video from Palos Community Hospital has been added to the case file.

Evidence has finally been exchanged, six months after Allan Kustok was first accused of shooting his wife, Anita “Jeanie” Kustok. A DVD with surveillance footage taken at Palos Community Hospital on the morning of Sept. 29 was entered into Kustok’s case file. After a brief court hearing Monday morning, Kustok’s defense attorney Rick Beuke said the DVD is a start, but he is still waiting to see police reports made shortly after Kustok was charged with one count of first-degree murder. "The DVD is the only other thing we have received,” Beuke said. “We are still waiting on the police reports, and we’re not sure why after six months. We’re hoping we can get this moving and set a trial date." Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Jennifer …

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Baba Wawa

5:53 pm on Sunday, April 3, 2011

John, this isn't Law & Order. Speedy trial rules do apply -- only if the defendant demands trial. So far, the defendant has demanded trial and won't demand trial because they don't have all the discovery. A defendant isn't going to demand trial when they don't have all the discovery from the State. But there ARE witnesses to interview; i.e., police officers, detectives, doctors, the medical …   more ›

Kustok Case Stalled While Evidence is Gathered

The court case for an Orland Park man accused of shooting his wife moves to another date without progress.

Allan Kustok looked back at his daughter Sarah and smiled briefly before turning to face Judge David Sterba in Courtroom 101. But 59-year-old Kustok’s smile was the only different aspect to Friday’s court date at the Bridgeview Courthouse. All the court hearings since he pleaded not guilty in November to one count of first-degree murder in the shooting death of his wife Anita “Jeanie” Kustok have ended with continuances. Despite informing the court on Jan. 21 that police reports relating to the case were in the hands of her office, Cook County Assistant State’s Attorney Jennifer Gonzalez said Friday that evidence is still being gathered. “We are waiting on police reports and other labs,” Gonzalez said during the hearing. Rick Beuke, …

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Documents for Kustok Case Arrive

Prosecution received police documents relating to Allan Kustok and his charge of murder in the shooting death of his wife.

Reports from the Orland Park Police Department with information about the death of Anita “Jeanie” Kustok are now in the hands of prosecuting attorneys. Court proceedings in the case of 59-year-old Orland Park resident Allan Kustok, who pleaded not guilty to first-degree murder charges against him, are still in the initial discovery phase. Assistant State’s Attorney Jennifer Gonzalez said during Friday’s court hearing that she had just received police reports from Orland Park, and would be submitting them to Kustok’s defense team. Judge Colleen Ann Hyland, who sat in for Judge David Sterba Friday morning, set a Feb. 4 court date, before which both sides are expected to review the documents. Kustok, who is being held on $2 million bail in …

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Defense for Allan Kustok Waiting for Records

The attorney for Allan Kustok, who is accused of murdering his wife Anita Kustok, said after a court hearing Tuesday that he still is waiting for Orland Park police reports.

The attorney representing an Orland Park man accused of shooting his wife in October said both he and prosecutors are waiting on police reports to move the case forward. Rick Beuke, who is defending 59-year-old Allan Kustok on a charge of first-degree murder, said he and the prosecution are looking to examine "basic police reports" regarding the shooting death of Anita "Jeanie" Kustok. The 58-year-old teacher was found dead at the Kustok home on Royal Oaks Lane from a gunshot wound to the head in October. During Kustok's recent court hearing Tuesday, Assistant State's Attorney Jennifer Gonzalez said she did not have new information related to the case to show the defense. "As soon as I get some new materials, I will get them to them right …

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Editor's View

The Rundown, Nov. 14 – 20: Tax Fury and Kustok Pleads Innocence

We take a look back at irate taxpayers, an expected yet still important moment in an ongoing case and coverage of the devastating fire in Oak Lawn.

Benjamin Franklin once said only death and taxes are certain in life. Orland Township homeowners shared the pains of one of those certainties this week, when the 2009 tax bills were received. Hundreds of people were shocked by the increased bills - some listing over $1,000 more to pay than the last. Orland Township Assessor Rich Kelly explained that efforts were made locally to relieve taxes, but the Cook County's multiplier made bills higher than before. Two ongoing stories involved the other certainty Franklin described. On Thursday, Allan Kustok formally expressed his innocence for the murder charge against him in the shooting death of his wife Anita "Jeanie" Kustok. His children, Zak and Sarah Kustok, pledged to stand by their father …

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Kustok Pleads Not Guilty to Murder in Wife's Death

With children Zak and Sarah Kustok looking on, Allan Kustok maintains he did not kill Anita "Jeanie" Kustok.

Allan Kustok squinted as he glanced around Courtroom 101 Thursday morning before he pleaded not guilty for the murder of his wife. Shackled and clad in yellow prison garbs, the 59-year-old Orland Park man didn't make eye contact with his children Zak and Sarah Kustok, who appeared in court supporting their father. Allan Kustok replied with a faint "yes" when asked by Judge David Sterba if he understood the terms of his case, after the plea was given.  He is charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of Anita "Jeanie" Kustok. "The bond hearing information indicated that he's not sure what happened with respect to the shooting," said Rick Beuke, Allan Kustok's defense attorney. "But clearly it is being maintained that he didn't …

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PHOTO: Northwestern Football Players Wore Kustok Initials

Players show support for Zak and Sarah Kustok after the loss of their mother Anita "Jeanie" Kustok.

Northwestern University football players showed support for former quarterback Zak Kustok and his sister Sarah on Saturday. Players donned decals with the initials "ZK" and "SK" on their helmets during the Saturday game against Perdue, in a showing of support as Zak and Sarah Kustok mourn the loss of their mother, 58-year-old Anita "Jeanie" Kustok. "The players wanted to keep Zak and Sarah in their thoughts and prayers," Mike Wolf, assistant athletic director at NU, said. Decals have been worn for other honors, though the showing for Zak and Sarah Kustok is "a one time thing," Wolf said. NU Football Coach Pat Fitzgerald attended memorials for Anita, as did athletic director Jim Phillips and other NU faculty, staff and alumni. Zak Kustok …

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Editor's View

Covering Tragedy: Thoughts On Reporting Bad News

Following the memorial service and visitation for Anita “Jeanie” Kustok, we look at the purpose of reporting on tragedies.

About two years ago, I could be found every morning in the DeKalb Police Station, hunched over a stack of reports. The press table stood right next to the window where people came in to pay tickets, bail others out and demand justice for crimes against them. Police business. Few people ever took note of me, as I scribbled away into a notebook. Then one morning a woman asked me if I was a reporter. I said yes. She then snorted with real effort and said, "You're probably thrilled when awful things happen. I bet you get real excited when you get to write about tragedy." It takes a lot to offend me, but this woman succeeded in seconds. "No," I said. "I live here, too. Down the street from the station. And I don't want anything bad to happen to…

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Editor's View

The Rundown Oct. 3 to Oct 9.: Jeanie Kustok’s Memorial and a Wigged Bank Robber

We take a look back at a packed week of news.

Heartache and inspiration. In other words, Orland Park Patch's fourth week. Zak and Sarah Kustok showed an immeasurable amount of strength and concern for those around them while mourning their mother Anita "Jeanie" Kustok this week, at a visitation held Wednesday and a memorial Mass on Thursday.  Those who knew Jeanie used words like "angel,"  "smile" and "light" to describe the 58-year-old woman who taught gifted students. Jeanie Kustok was shot to death on the morning of Sept. 29, and her husband Allan has been charged with first-degree murder. But during these two services the focus was positive, albeit sad. People laughed at memories of Jeanie, in between expressing grief at losing a woman who brought the best out of so many.  It was …

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