LaSalle Co. (ECWd) –
If you’re not familiar with the illegal activities LaSalle County State’s Attorney Brian Towne has involved himself in I suggest you review those articles found at this link. Below is a letter to the editor that apparently the local paper would not print. We are pleased to provide the letter below, submitted by attorney Julie Ajster.
How did LaSalle County State’s Attorney Brian Towne create his own police force?
           Many have heard of LaSalle County State’s Attorney Brian Towne’s S.A.F.E. unit but few know or understand S.A.F.F.E.? As an attorney in LaSalle County for over 13 years, I had not heard of S.A.F.E. until April 2015. Since then, I have spent hundreds of hours gathering thousands of S.A.F.E. documents. I am sharing what I have learned about S.A.F.E with you.
           In 2011, Towne created his own police force. He called it, “State’s Attorney Felony Enforcement” Unit or S.A.F.E. It was a completely independent and a one of a kind law enforcement unit. S.A.F.E. was not a task force or a special unit of the LaSalle County Sheriff’s Department or any other law enforcement agency in LaSalle County.
           When I tell people that the State’s Attorney of LaSalle County created his own police, they laugh until they realize I am serious. Then they ask, “How can a State’s Attorney have his own police force?” I answer, “He can’t but he did.”
           If State’s Attorneys can’t have their own police force, how did Towne? Illinois statute, 55 ILCS 5/3-9005(b), allows a State’s Attorney to appoint a “special investigator” to “serve subpoenas, summonses, make return of process, and conduct investigations which assist the State’s Attorney in the performance of his (her) duties.”Â
           Towne interpreted this statute differently than any other State’s Attorney in the history of Illinois. Towne interpreted the statute to say he could have his own police force and he used this statute as the authority to create S.A.F.E.
           Towne’s S.A.F.E. officers were labeled “special investigators” but they were not. According to S.A.F.E.’s policies and procedures, the duties of Towne’s “special investigators” were to, “identify, investigate and seek prosecution of all violations of the Cannabis Control Act and the Controlled Substance Act and any other drug-related crimes.” The above statute is very clear as to the duties of a State’s Attorney’s “special investigator.”  Labeled as “special investigators”, Towne’s officers were actually drug enforcement officers.Â
           In June 2015, the Third District Appellate Court ruled Towne’s S.A.F.E. officers were not “special investigators”, as allowed by Illinois law 55ILCS 5/3-9005(b), and his S.A.F.E. unit was illegal. It is the duty of law enforcement officers to investigate violations of the law. It is the duty of the State’s Attorney to prosecute violations of the law.
           Julie Ajster, Attorney
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8 Comments
Tina
Posted at 13:45h, 20 Januaryso, if this is Only One error found by Mr Brian Towne while he was in office, isn’t safe to say there are other things, such as misuse of power while convicting people, Dirty is Dirty, don’t see why he would play nice in court then steal from the public is the only BAD thing he has done. KARMA Mr Towne will catch up to you – You can run but you cannot hide from GOD. HA HA Happy to see he is finally getting what he deserves.
ChrisMars
Posted at 15:07h, 21 JulySo if this Task Force had consisted of actual sworn in Officers of Law then there would not be any issues? I mean, these traffic stops are nothing new and have been carried out by local police departments for as long as I can remember. Money or valuables are taken by officers and you are told that it will be held until an “investigation” is complete, but hardly ever is it given back. Cars that are impounded in these “investigations” end up ruined including, seats and carpet being cut up, wiring tore out , whole engines taken apart and/or anything of value is will be missing. Also seems to be a pattern of cases prosecuted solely off the testimony of a defendant witness, (another person who took part in the crime), in exchange for a lesser charge or sentence. Another issue I can’t understand is why a person who is charged with rape or even a hate crime is given a $10 thousand dallar bond and a person charged with a bag of crack cocaine is given a $1 million dallar bond in this county. It also depends on who you are to when it comes to charges and bonds. People with drug addictions are used to an outrageous extent, by local investigative agencies in pursuit of charges against drug dealers. When a person addicted to drugs in this area gets in trouble for drugs , it’s usually never known, most all are given the option to set up the dealer(s) in exchange for no charges . To a person with an addiction, this is not really an option, as they can’t see past the addiction, will almost always coroperate. Wich means , they are set free, given money and directed to purchase more drugs. only ones who are charged, incarcerated or rehabilitated are the ones who do not coroporate.
jmkraft
Posted at 12:44h, 22 JulyThe SAFE unit would have still been illegal, even with properly sworn officers, as it was headed up by the State’s Attorney who overstepped his authority.
Ninja
Posted at 20:27h, 01 OctoberThey should look into cases prosecuted by Jadon Goode as well! A person with more than 4 domestics and violation of protection orders is off the hook because he is a friend of Jason’s! He has been bragging about it around town! Makes me sick. Knowing this person, I think the assistant prosecutor should be drug tested!
nellie
Posted at 09:44h, 07 JulyWhat became of the perjury charge against Julie Ajster? Havent been able to find the results .
Julie Ajster
Posted at 14:15h, 07 JulyThe Perjury charge against me, Julie Ajster, is still pending. As is typical for Towne and LaSalle County, court rules and State statutes were not followed when a special prosecutor Order was signed appointing a special prosecutor to prosecute me. I have a Motion to Invalidate the Order appointing a special prosecutor since said Order was signed by LaSalle County Judge H. Chris Ryan two and a half months before a court file was opened in LaSalle County. Towne and the LaSalle County criminal Judges do not understand that you cannot have Court Orders without court cases and/or files being open. The last time my perjury case was up, the special prosecutor from Towne’s State’s Attorney Appellate Prosecutor’s Office did not show up so nothing was done the case had to be continued.
Lisa
Posted at 10:56h, 09 JulyI completely emphasize with your situation I’m at their mercy also. Can you recommend an attorney who is willing to fight them. Good luck
Carrie
Posted at 00:45h, 30 SeptemberGood luck. My son, a first time offender is being crucified by Brian Towne and Vicky Denny. A simple fight with me and they’ve ruined his life. The public defender was absolutely useless and completely sided with the overzealous prosecution.