After vowing he would testify, Beavers doesn't

CHICAGO | Despite vowing for months that he would speak directly to jurors, an influential Cook County commissioner told a federal judge on Wednesday he would not be taking the stand at his tax-evasion trial.

After vowing he would testify, Beavers doesn't

Cook County Commissioner William Beavers speaks to reporters, as his attorney Sam Adam Jr. listens, after Beavers' arraignment on federal tax-evasion charges on March 2 in Chicago.

IRS agent: Beavers gambled at frantic pace

CHICAGO | A Chicago Democrat cashed multiple four-figure checks from his campaign to himself and then gambled the money away on slot machines at a feverish pace — sometimes within hours on a single day — an Internal Revenue Service agent testified on Monday at the Cook County commissioner's …

Casino: Beavers lost $500,000 on slot machines

CHICAGO | A powerful Chicago politician who earns just a five-figure salary gambled away nearly $500,000 playing slot machines over three years at a single casino, according to records entered into evidence by prosecutors Friday at the Democrat's tax-evasion trial.

Prosecutors: Beavers lied about campaign money

CHICAGO | A powerful Chicago politician fond of playing slot machines spent thousands of dollars from his campaign coffers at a casino and then falsely declared he'd spent it on authorized campaign expenses, a prosecutor told newly seated jurors Thursday.

Jury seated in Beavers tax trial

CHICAGO | A judge on Wednesday imposed a gag order on attorneys in the tax-evasion trial of a powerful Chicago Democrat after a defense lawyer claimed jury selection was "rigged" because no black men were in the 50-person pool from which jurors were selected.

Reactions to guilty verdict in McCowan trial

Attorneys and the family of Amanda Bach responded to the guilty verdict handed down to Dustin McCowan in the her murder.

Dustin McCowan arrives at the Porter County Courthouse

Dustin McCowan, on trial for the 2011 murder of Amanda Bach, arrives Monday at the Porter County Courthouse for the start his trial.

Dustin McCowan arrives at the Porter County Courthouse

Dustin McCowan, the suspect in the 2011 slaying of Amanda Bach, arrives Monday at the Porter County Courthouse for the start his trial.

Porter County man guilty in child porn case

Ryan Schroeder is escorted out of the Porter County Courthouse on Thursday after being found guilty on 23 counts of aiding child molestation and exploitation.

Porter County man guilty in child porn case

Ryan Schroeder is escorted through the Porter County Courthouse by officers Thursday after being found guilty on 23 counts of aiding child molestation and exploitation.

Porter County man guilty in child porn case

Ryan Schroeder is escorted through the Porter County Courthouse by officers Thursday after being found guilty on 23 counts of aiding child molestation and exploitation.

New date set for Beavers' trial to resume

CHICAGO | A federal judge has set a new date for the delayed trial of an influential Chicago-area politician on tax charges.

Trial targets trucking firm in fatal 2011 crash

VALPARAISO | A device recovered from a semi-trailer truck involved in a fatal crash on an icy stretch of Interstate 94 revealed the driver was using his cruise control at 65 mph and hit his brakes just one second before the collision, according to attorney Kenneth Allen.

Judge: Talk of repayments OK ... from witness stand

CHICAGO | An influential Chicago politician can tell jurors he put cash back into his campaign coffers and amended his tax returns as part of his defense at his upcoming tax-evasion trial, but only if he takes the stand and speaks to jurors directly, a judge ruled Friday.

OFFBEAT: Readers ask about 'Jeffersons' actor Hemsley's final chapter

Phil Potempa's daily entertainment news column.

Defendant in death of a S'ville woman on trial in Cook County

SCHERERVILLE | A bench trial for a Chicago man charged in the fatal shooting of Holly Hieber, of Schererville, will continue today in a Cook County court.

Jan. 7 trial set for Portage murder case

VALPARAISO | A Jan. 7 trial date has been set for a Jackson Township resident charged with killing his estranged wife April 24, 2011, by firing at least eight bullets into her body with a high-powered semiautomatic rifle.

County-hired lawyer grilled about advice given to Philpot

HAMMOND | An attorney hired to advise the clerk's office during Lake County Coroner Thomas Philpot's term testified for about three hours Thursday during Philpot's theft and fraud trial.

Day three of Philpot trial: Attorney advised Philpot OK to take payments

HAMMOND | Lake County Coroner Thomas Philpot received a letter telling him he did not need County Council approval to receive incentive payments from a child support incentive fund, according to evidence introduced on the third day of his fraud and theft trial.