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Cusack, Gilfillan & O'Day
415 Hamilton Blvd.
Peoria, IL 61602
Phone: 309.637.5282
Fax: 309.637.5788 |
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Deputy Cleared In Fatal Shooting
The deputy who fatally shot 23-year-old Scott Sheets Junior just outside of Lacon will not face criminal charges in the case.
See the coverage on WEEK.com
LACON: Sheriff rejects donation for TaserBY GARY L. SMITH OF THE JOURNAL STAR
LACON — The Marshall County Sheriff's Department has rejected a $1,000 donation from a Lacon man who had hoped the
money might be used to buy a stun gun that would provide officers an alternative to deadly force in situations like
one that claimed the life of his son about two months ago.
Scott Sheets delivered the donation 10 days ago with a letter requesting that it be used for a Taser and perhaps special
training for deputies on dealing with distraught individuals. His son, Scott Sheets Jr., 23, was fatally shot by Deputy
Wayne Strawn April 29 in a roadside confrontation sparked by a family member's 911 call reporting that he was suicidal
and had driven off with a knife.
The check was returned to Sheets by mail Thursday along with a brief letter from Sheriff Rob Russell. Russell had said
last week the department had never acquired Tasers because of uncertainty even within law enforcement about their use,
and he echoed that theme in the letter.
Russell emphasized in an interview he was by no means "closing the door" on possible Taser use in the future.
A prominent Peoria lawyer retained by the Sheets family, Daniel Cusack, has stated there will likely be a lawsuit over
the young man's death — which would put Russell in the position of accepting a donation from someone who plans to sue his
department.
"With the threats of litigation and everything else, I just don't think the timing would be very good to accept a
donation from this party," Russell said.
(Article retrieved from PJStar.com)
LACON: Father seeks to prevent more shootingsLACON — The father of a young Lacon man who was fatally shot by a
Marshall County sheriff's deputy made a financial donation today in hopes of preventing similar occurrences in the future.
Scott Sheets, father of Scott Sheets Jr., 23, delivered a $1,000 check to the Sheriff's Department. Along with the check
was a letter requesting the money be spent on a Taser that would provide an alternative to deadly force in situations like
the roadside confrontation that ended the life of his son on April 29.
Sheets would not comment and referred questions to Peoria attorney Daniel Cusack, who has been retained by family members.
Cusack has said a lawsuit likely will be filed in connection with the shooting, but he emphasized Wednesday that Scott
Sheets' donation was a purely personal act arising from his motivation to do something that might save other families the
anguish his has endured.
Sheets Jr. was killed by two shots fired by Deputy Wayne Strawn in a roadside confrontation along Illinois Route 26 south
of Lacon. Strawn and a Lacon police officer had responded after family members called 911 and said Sheets had driven off
with a knife and appeared suicidal.
Exactly what took place at the scene has been the subject of bitter dispute between police and family members who were
there. But it's undisputed that Sheets had a knife and was bleeding from apparently self-inflicted wounds to his neck
and wrists.
(Article retrieved from PJStar.com)
Dan Cusack and his client Michael Chance, Jr. are shown with the
jury verdict in Mr. Chance's trial of a purely soft tissue chiropractic injury case. In August, 2006, when the other
side had offered nothing to resolve the matter, it proceeded to trial. The result was one of the largest purely soft
tissue chiropractic verdicts in the history of Peoria County.
Pictured above is Nicholas G. Damron and Dan Cusack as they view
a reproduction of the jury verdict in Damron v. Mitchell. This case involved an Illinois state trooper rear-ending a car
that Nick was driving. After a year of preparation and depositions the other side had still made no offer. The case was
therefore tried in August, 2005 before a jury in Peoria County and $1.7 million was awarded. The result was one of the
largest verdicts in the history of Peoria County.
Archived News
Tina L. Maher v. Bradley University
CGO intern home for Gavin Sinnott from Wexford, Ireland
Dan Cusack presents IPSCA District #8, a $2,000 check
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