Burgin and Hopper prevail in Edgar County Circuit Court –

With the past election results of 193 votes for Hopper, it sure sent a message how Edgar Co. voters felt about him. Why would a person that disgraced want to come back. It is my understand he will make more than any of the other deputies do. I heard he was padding his paycheck and a way to prevent him from being dishonest was to give him a under the table huge raise according to Sheriff Crippes. Paying him in advance for padding the books now that is a real intelligent thing to do! Wow that should produce a interesting FIOA request. Come on Beacon News or Watchdogs hop on that one.
Burgin is even more unpopular than Hopper. If they come back no one will have to lift a finger; they both will go back to there old ways and the complaints will flow in from the public and the sheriff’s dept. will get a back eye once again! The difference this time they will have a thousand eyes watching them and just maybe they will be made to follow rules and the laws of the land.
Our justice system is the best in the world but not without flaws.

Franklin, his comments don’t prove anything. They were not hired as outlined by law and nothing he says can change that.

So Kirk does what defense says about hiring of dee and roger prove you wrong in illegal hiring of them

Candy Apple: In this case, my last name is not important. I’ve not made any unfounded accusations as you did re: perjury by Sheriff Motley. I’m just asking for proof if there is any to back up what you said. But then, again, you decided to attack instead of answering the question or providing proof. That’s all I want. Proof of what you said. Is that asking too much?

Jim and Kirk,
I think you well know that the judge did not simply say there were no grounds to vacate the arbitrator’s award. He stated clearly, and in no uncertain terms, that not only did the law not allow him to vacate the award, but that he would have come to the same conclusions the arbitrator did in his award (the arbitrator concluded, amongst other things, that deputies Hopper and Burgin were both ultimately “merited by the Commission.” Page 20 of the the arbitrator’s award.) The judge also stated that it was his conclusion that deputies Hopper and Burgin are qualified, and the power vested in Sheriff Farnham and Sheriff Crippes is no different than the power vested in Sheriff Motley to hire deputies, and while he certainly pointed to an imperfect process as to the Merit Commission and how it has functioned in Edgar County in the past, he also stated that Hopper’s and Burgin’s appointments were not wrongful. Furthermore, the judge did not have to order deputies Hopper and Burgin back to work, the arbitrator has already done so, the judge merely affirmed that order. So, I believe your statements as to the Judge’s decision to be woefully incomplete and either inattentive as to important detail or intellectually dishonest in their telling, and appear to be driven by an agenda.
If you disagree, get the transcript and I will meet face to face to allow you the opportunity to show me how I got it wrong. We can both openly record that meeting for the sake of accuracy.
If the Sheriff decides to appeal, I have full faith and belief that a higher court will rule no differently than the arbitrator and now the circuit judge.
I will not engage in a tit for tat, and I will not make personal attacks, but I will not allow a nuanced incomplete telling of this case to go unchallenged.
Sincerely John Weathers,
Attorney for the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council

Sick of it all…. Candy Apple- you stated that the circuit judge found that they had been hired properly. Maybe your definition of “flawed” and mine are different, but it said the judge found the hiring was flawed… that by no means says they’re hiring was proper. Also, again people throwing accusations around without showing any proof, if there is any proof… you stated that Sheriff Motley committed perjury during the initial arbitration hearing…… hello??? where’s the proof and why haven’t you come forward to see that he was properly charged with perjury??
Easy to type behind a fictitious name, but lets see some proof! I’d like to know if that actually happened, but I can guarantee I’m not taking someone’s word for it just because they decided it looked good on paper. Let’s have FACTS… PROOF… then maybe I will be able to consider taking what you say seriously… but until then, just another faceless name with nothing to back up their accusations.

John And Kirk
did the original arbitrator say put them back to work

Was the judge from Cook County?

Candy Apple seems to know as much as you dogs do I would believe candy apple before you dogs

This judge DID NOT order them back to work. He simply ruled that he found no grounds to vacate an arbitrators decision. I suspect this will go to the Appellate court as it was clear the appointments were not proper in the first place. Had the judge ruled the other way I wonder if that would have had an impact on every case those two deputies worked on that led to a conviction? If they were not hired under the guidelines of the law, which they were not, then all there actions after that fact could be null and void.

This is great news! Now back to work boys, get those drugs off the streets and out of our children’s reach again!! Twice this sheriff has been ordered to put these deputies back to work. You think he’ll listen this time? Maybe he’ll leave instead!!