As we wrote about yesterday, a 5-year-old boy was killed when Chicago Heights police arrested his mother for driving with a suspended license and handed the keys to her intoxicated passenger.
Mother Kathy LaFond and the deceased boy's uncle, Martin LaFond, said they plan to file separate lawsuits against the Chicago Heights Police Dept., according to WBBM Chicago. It's not clear whether they are filing wrongful death suits or some other legal action.
But the suits are expected to put a spotlight on the officer who cleared 22-year-old DUI suspect Cecil Conner to drive 5-year-old Michael Langford Jr. and himself home. Cecil Conner and Kathy LaFond had been dating for about a year, according to family members.
Cecil Conner was found to have a blood-alcohol content of .208, more than twice the legal limit. He has been charged with four counts of aggravated DUI and could face three to 14 years in prison if convicted. The article doesn't mention how his Illinois DUI lawyer plans to defend him against the charges in this unusual case.
Relatives of Cecil Conner said the officer responsible for handing him the keys should have been charged in criminal court as well. But Assistant State's Attorney Debbie Mills did not mention the traffic stop that ultimately put Cecil Conner behind the wheel during a hearing.
Tim Roop, a cousin of the defendant, told reporters that Cecil Conner had been drinking heavily that evening but faults the police for letting him drive:
"She [Debbie Mills] knew he was intoxicated and no one's looking at that... The Chicago Heights cop should be in there [before the judge], too. This is half his blame."
Will County State's Attorney James Glasgow rejects the argument:
"Certainly there's no mitigation for an individual who knows their condition and remains silent, taking advantage of bad judgment by someone else."
Cecil Conner's next court date is scheduled for June 1. He is being held on $500,000 bail.
Related Resources:
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DUI - Booking & Bail (FindLaw)
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$500,000 Bail for Man Accused of DUI in Fatal Crash (Chicago Tribune)
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Browse Chicago DUI Lawyers (FindLaw)
