Trial postponed in Bloomington triple murder case

Posted on April 5, 2019

The trial for triple murder suspect Sydney Mays has been delayed to provide his recently-hired attorney time to review the case. (Bloomington Police Department photo)

By Howard Packowitz

BLOOMINGTON – A Bloomington triple murder suspect won’t stand trial next month because his new lawyer said he needs time to review the prosecution’s evidence.

Sydney Mays’ trial was supposed to start May 13, but last week, Mays hired Chicago lawyer Michael Jarard. Mays initially insisted that he act as his own attorney, but he changed his mind.

Before hiring Jarard, Mays chose to have the judge, instead of a jury, decide the case. Jarard said he hasn’t decided yet if Mays should ask again for a jury trial.

Mays is charged with shooting to death Juan Carlos Perez-Macedo, Corey Jackson, and Nathaniel Pena, and gravely wounding Pena’s young son June 18 in an apartment in the 300 block of Riley Drive.

No new trial date has been scheduled, but Mays is expected to appear for a status hearing May 21.

Howard Packowitz can be reached at [email protected]

Blogs

Labor Day – Expanding voting rights for all

By Mike Matejka Because of COVID, there is no Labor Day Parade this year. It’s always a great event for our everyday workers to march proudly down the street and enjoys the festive crowd. If there had been a parade, this year’s Labor Day theme was to be “150 years of struggle: your right to vote.” …

Is federal mobilization the answer?

By Mike Matejka As President Donald Trump threatens to send federal marshals into Chicago, over the objections of Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker, recall another Illinois Governor who protested the incursion of armed federal personnel into the city. Those federal troops, rather than calming, escalated the situation, leading to deaths and violence. Illinois poet Vachel Lindsay…

In these troubled times, to my fellow white Americans

By Mike Matejka Our nation is at a unique watershed in human relations. African-Americans have been killed too many times in the past before George Floyd, but the response to this man’s death is international and all-encompassing. I was a grade-schooler during the Civil Rights 1960s. I watched Birmingham demonstrators hosed and the Selma – Montgomery…

Workers’ Memorial Day – Remember those whose job took their life

Looking around our community, when we say employer, most will respond to State Farm, Country, or Illinois State University. We too often forget those who are building our roads, serving our food, or our public employees. COVID-19 has made us more aware of the risk. Going to work every day for some people means…