Williams defense asks for judge change
<p class="p1">The London Williams murder case may have another wrinkle.
<p class="p1">According to Randolph County State's Attorney Jeremy Walker, Williams' attorney, Justin Kuehn, has filed a motion for substitution of judge.
<p class="p1">Circuit Court Judge Richard A. Brown had previously overseen the case.
<p class="p1">"What happens procedurally is our case is sent up to our chief judge, C. John Baricevic, and he picks the judge," Walker said.
<p class="p1">Walker told the Herald Tribune Wednesday morning that the case was re-assigned to St. Clair County Associate Judge Christopher T. Kolker, who is a traveling judge who appears in Randolph County court generally once or twice a month.
<p class="p1">But late Wednesday afternoon, Walker notified the media via text message that a new order from Baricevic reassigned the case to Randolph County Associate Circuit Court Judge Gene Gross.
<p class="p1">"Sounds like we may be back on (Thursday)," Walker said in the text message. "Judge Gross may get the case after all."
<p class="p1">The parties were scheduled for a case management conference on Thursday to discuss a motion from Kuehn to reduce Williams's $1 million bond.
<p class="p1">Walker said earlier Wednesday that the hearing may be postponed due to the judge change, but that no longer appeared to be the case.
<p class="p1">Kolker was notable as he presided over the lawsuits state employee unions filed against Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner and was once a personal injury attorney associated with Kolker Law Offices in Belleville.
<p class="p1">Kolker once set a record for a Title III (Americans with Disabilities Act) settlement for an individual or group of individuals, reportedly winning a $5.2 million judgement against an insurance company for a bad faith claim denial and insurer fraud.
<p class="p1">Williams, 26, of Rockwood, has been charged with first-degree murder (a Class X felony punishable by 20 to 60 years in prison) for the June 22 stabbing death of Timothy J. "T.J." Michael, of Chester.
<p class="p1">Brown presided over Williams's preliminary hearing on July 29, during which his attorney seemed to allude that Williams's actions were in self-defense.
<p class="p1">Williams has been incarcerated at Randolph County Jail and his case is Chester's first homicide - outside of Menard Correctional Center - since 2004.