Last September, Illinois Office of the State's Attorney Appellate Prosecutor (ILSAAP) Vice Chairman Joe Birkett led a discussion in a Board of Governors meeting regarding an amicus curiae brief on public payment of legal fees for former Edgar County State's Attorney Michael McFatridge, represented by Terry Ekl.
Comparisons could be made with events 13 years ago.
DuPage County State's Attorney Birkett had approached the DuPage County Board to pay the legal bills of the DuPage Seven -- three prosecutors and four deputies indicted on 47 charges of conspiracy related to the investigations, prosecutions and convictions involving the kidnapping and murder of young Jeanine Nicarico. Ekl represented one of the prosecutors.
Victims of Justice Revisited, by Thomas Frisbee and Randy Garrett, includes details leading to the trial of the DuPage Seven. This book has been used as a textbook in law schools nationwide to examine how capital cases are prosecuted in the United States. Yet, the book cannot be found in a public library anywhere in DuPage County, according to the LINC system.
Following are four pages from Victims of Justice Revisited which focus on Birkett, Ekl and legal fees.
Pages 361-364 from Victims of Justice Revisited by Thomas Frisbie and Randy Garrett. To enlarge, double-click the image:
