The Pursuit Of Justice Begins With Determining The Truth
An article in the Chicago Tribune a few days ago shines the spotlight on the very issue that has served as a center point of this campaign and my commitment to the citizens of Lake County. The issue of wrongful convictions. This is an issue of concern that I am glad is getting a fresh burst of pre-election discussion.
As candidate for Lake County State's Attorney, I am committed to justice and bringing change to the Lake County State's Attorney's Office, including ensuring wrongful convictions never happen. The pursuit of justice begins with determining the truth, requires an open and ongoing dialogue, and a willingness to act based on hard facts and solid evidence.
I teach DNA and the laws of evidence , my platform has been clear from the day I announced more than one year ago, about the importance of forensic sciences, as well as improving training for prosecutors and law enforcement.
I have outlined specific actions I'm prepared to take, including the creation of an independent Case Review Panel, developing protocols for the prosecution of cases with forensic evidence, and making changes to policies, procedures and training.
Throughout the campaign, I have been meeting with law enforcement, the legal community, victims, victims' rights advocates, civil rights leaders, the faith community and all community members that this effects--sharing perspectives to address the most common causes of wrongful convictions.
Being State's Attorney is about making tough decisions and one of the toughest decisions a State's Attorney has to make is deciding when not to charge cases where there is insufficient evidence. I have the courage and confidence to make these difficult decisions and stand behind them. I'm committed to being tough on crime and making sure everyone is treated fairly... and that justice is served.
Lake County should never have its prosecutorial motivations be in question. I pledge to bring an independent, fresh perspective and new ideas to the office of State's Attorney and to restore its reputation to one in which we can all be proud.
I will do all in my power to make sure every citizen in Lake County is given the justice they deserve. With respect to specific pending cases, I cannot comment until I have all of the information. I do not have the benefit of having access to all of the State's evidence. I can assure you that if elected and given the opportunity to analyze all of the evidence in the Starks case--or any other case for that matter-- and I do not believe that the evidence supports a charge, I will have no problem dismissing the case.
Rand Ayn
7:43 pm on Sunday, August 19, 2012
The Pursuit Of Justice Begins With Determining The Truth- yes Mike it does. The truth is that Chris Kennedy, your opponent for Lake County States Attorney, posted comments and sighted the Tribune 2 days ago in this same paper. Whereupon, you felt the need to be the first to comment. (always tagging behind).
Just like your Case Review Panel - the watered down version of Chris Kenndy's Conviction Integrity Unit which you put together long after Kennedy came out with his idea. It is easy to be a follower. I will vote for a Leader like Kenndy.
Again, you take the teaching of DNA evidence as something you alone have done. Chris Kennedy taught the same class years before you did. I could go on with your piggy backing off of Kennedy, but this becomes more obvious everyday.
Kennedy is independent and forward thing!
Jose Cuervo
9:10 am on Monday, August 20, 2012
And the negativity from Kennedy's group continues. I've watched this race closely and continue to be impressed by the controlled, honest, and insightful answers Mike Nerheim provides to those who question him. He's never onfrontational, angered, or argumentative. I almost feel badly for Chris Kennedy; with every negative, angered post, your supporters Mr. Kennedy are hurting your campaign. Your supporters twist words (*"you take the teaching of DNA evidence as something you alone have done"). No, Mr. Nerheim simply states that he has done this. Not mentioning that Mr. Kennedy has also doesn't mean anything. It's called "tooting your horn" which you better do if you want to win.
Mr. Kennedy, your supporters make it very easy to vote for Mike Nerheim.
Kathy Oetker
4:56 am on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
I kinda think you were voting for him anyway. However, the truth is not negative, it just is evidence.
Nightcrawler
9:37 am on Monday, August 20, 2012
@Rand: Numerous other Patch sites chose to only post Chris Kennedy's blog and not Mike's, so I applaud Steve Sadin for having the integrity to post Mike's side of things too.
Some other Patch sites have not posted Mike's blog, which tells me they have a huge liberal bias. (See: Grayslake).
Nightcrawler
10:52 am on Monday, August 20, 2012
The above blog post ran on the Grayslake Patch yesterday. At least on my computer.
Nightcrawler
3:45 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012
Well if that's the case, then how come Chris Kennedy's blog post still remains, when it was posted three days earlier Nightcrawler? This one is from August 19th, Kennedy's was posted August 17th.
So at the least, they are letting Kennedy's run longer, which is completely biased. Furthermore, I was on the Grayslake site all weekend and didn't recall seeing this blog, so you could just be saying that.
Nightcrawler
5:58 am on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Earth to Doug: Both blog posts are still up.
Nightcrawler
4:00 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Earth to Nightcrawler, Chris Kennedy's blog is on the main Grayslake Patch page, Mike's is not.
Chris's has been up for FOUR days on the main page, Mike's has yet to appear on the main page.
That is a fact. Get a clue, it's right there for everyone to see as of Tuesday, August 21 at 4:00 p.m.
That's also an editor being biased. Sorry you can't spin your way out of the truth.
Jose Cuervo
4:24 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
@ Kathy, facts are facts and nothing in my post was factually incorrect. However, the disdain in your statements are easily spewed onto the screens of the reader.
You are passionate about your choice in candidate, I get that and respect your freedom of choice.
What is difficult though to respect, is Mr. Kennedy's supporters finding every avenue to spin facts (or evidence as you call it) and put blame where it doesn't belong.
In doing so, you show what Mr. Kennedy has surrounded himself with and THAT I find hard to welcome into the county. I'm sticking with what is upstanding, honest, hard-working, full of integrity - and that is Mike Nerheim. (while I view these to be facts I understand you view them as opinion and as such I will not submit them into evidence but merely make mention for the jury /reader to see).
These are my truths Kathy.
Bonita
12:50 pm on Monday, August 20, 2012
Mike Nerheim is the clear choice for Lake County States Attorney! His record is impeccable. His character is flawless. He's highly motivated to protect our communities, make a positive difference, and offer not only his expertise, but his wisdom and creativity. We all will be safer and happier with a States Attorney who is fair, intelligent and professional--Mike Nerheim!
Kathy Oetker
5:00 am on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
Maybe Doug because Mike didn't write it until the 19th. Facts just seem to allude you.
Bonita - his character is flawless - unless he is God, no one is flawless. Mike, will even tell you that. When you find God in a political figure, you have a problem.
Nightcrawler
3:58 pm on Tuesday, August 21, 2012
@Kathy: HELLO....you are completely clueless.
Chris Kennedy's blog remains on the main Grayske patch page, but Mike Nerheim's doesn't.
If you can't clearly understand why that is completely biased, then you are a complete fool.
The facts seem to be alluding YOU. The editor could've chose to post Mike's blog on the main page, but did not, yet put her opponent's blog on the main page, where it has remained.
Mike's is more recent, so thanks for only proving my point. All the more reason it should have been posted on the main page for an equal amount of time...yet Mike's blog has not been put on the main page.
That is a clear bias. I'm done explaining this rather simple concept to you.
Nightcrawler
8:31 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Check the blog dates on the Grayslake Patch front page, Doug. All Aug. 17 or earlier. That hasn't changed since, well, Aug 17. So either their nefarious liberal bias extends to the D46 Education Foundation, Sara Bott, River Valley Gardens, Amy McCully and the Lake County Family YMCA … or somebody hasn't updated the front page. I suspect the latter.
Nightcrawler
9:06 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
I'm done explaining this to you. You just don't get it. Until his blog is posted for the same amount of time, too, regardless of the dates, it is a bias. Five days now one candidate has had his blog up, the other candidate hasn't had his posted on the main page at all, despite it being available to do so for the past three days.
Nightcrawler
9:09 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Took your paranoid pills this morning, eh?
Jose Cuervo
9:29 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
@Nightcrawler, Doug isn't being paranoid at all actually. He is correct in the difference in the amount of time the blogs are posted. What is interesting is the lack of acknowledgement from the Patch about this. They are quick to correct something when it suits them. I'm just a moderate who votes based on the person and their message. I don't belong to any political party. I consider myself someone who uses common sense and generally I find that to be somewhere in the middle. But even I notice the difference of "air-time". It's Patch's site and they can run whatever they chose and slowly but surely the readers who are interested in seeing something that doesn't lean one way or another, will get their information elsewhere.
Nightcrawler
10:05 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Thanks, Jose, but I respectfully disagree. Front page maintenance has never been much of a priority with the Patches, for whatever reason, and I hardly think they use it - or the lack of it - to communicate any kind of bias. I think you're giving way too much credit where it just isn't due. And BTW, I'm a centrist who'll probably vote for Nerheim because local attorneys I know (Dem, Rep, and independent) tell me he's the better choice.
Nightcrawler
10:40 am on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
They're called facts.
Something you often choose to ignore because this is probably the only place in life anyone pays any attention to you, so you troll the boards for some kind of conversation or debate regularly Nightcrawler.
A bias does clearly exist on this site and has for a long time, not just here but in other stories as well.
I remember when local reporters actually used to have to cover events and meetings instead of doing second-hand follow-ups and covered both sides of every event failry and equally as possible. Not this site, not a chance.
Nightcrawler
3:19 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
FYI, I had the following pleasant email exchange with editor Angela Morrey this morning:
Me: Hey Angela - I'm curious how you select what blog posts receive front page placement on the Grayslake Patch. As you're probably aware, some posters see a "liberal bias" in the front page presence of Chris Kennedy's blog while Mike Nerheim's is accessible only via the "More Patch Blogs" button. I'm thinking it's something less sinister, but please reassure me.
Angela: Hi Mike. No, this is not intentional. When blogs are posted with Patch, depending on what site the person posted it on initially, it can sometimes take a few days to get to all the other sites in the region. Please know Patch strives to remain balanced in all aspects of news. Thanks for the comments, and being a loyal reader.
Nightcrawler
8:04 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Gee, that couldn't possibly have anything to do with the fact people started complaining about it.
Keep being naive and gullible, while the rest of us see the truth.
Nightcrawler
8:05 pm on Wednesday, August 22, 2012
Not to mention I know from what the previous editor told me that the editors from each site have DIRECT control over what goes on the site and when, down to the exact minute they want something posted.
That is an undisputable fact.
Nightcrawler
8:30 am on Thursday, August 23, 2012
It says the above story was posted on August 19 at 5:59 p.m.
Yet not put on the main page until late yesterday. Don't tell me there's not a media bias. Almost all the stories right now on the main page are dated August 21. This is the only one postdated so far back as far as when it was actually written/submitted/posted originally.
So clearly, they were under the editor's control and not set up to autmoatically post, so that's a bunch of BS you were told Nightcrawler.
She got caught as an editor being partisan and biased, which is why you got the answer you got, clearly, and why the story suddenly got posted on the main page.
I'm just pointing it out, that's all, because it's obvious that's the truth.
All the other stories today on the site are dated several days later.
Angela Morrey
2:17 pm on Thursday, August 23, 2012
Thanks for the comments. At Patch we strive to be fair and unbiased. We encourage a civil debate from any side on any issue.
Thanks, Angela