Bob Cantrell's trial delayed fourth time
CANTRELL -- Continuance is fourth since indictment of Lake County operative
NWI Times
Mar 20, 2008
nwitimes.com/news/local/bob-cantrell-s-trial-delayed-fourth-time/article_a062384b-17a8-5cbe-a94e-f23d2f8272e2.html
HAMMOND | The federal fraud trial of political insider Robert Cantrell was delayed Wednesday until late May, the fourth such continuance since he was indicted exactly a year ago.
The trial was moved because a witness for Cantrell's defense is not available for the scheduled March 31 court date, Hammond federal court records state.
Although Cantrell is best known for his behind-the-scenes political influence, he was indicted last March following a three-year-long investigation into his activities while working for the North Township trustee's office.
Cantrell was charged with 11 counts of defrauding the public of honest services while working for a public entity. He is also accused of defrauding an insurance company by having a township contractor insure two of his adult children and failing to report kickbacks he received from the contractor for work he steered to them.
Defense attorney Kevin Milner previously convinced federal judges to delay the start of the trial in May, August, and January of 2007.
U.S. District Judge Rudy Lozano granted the latest continuance Wednesday.
"Although the case is quite complex, alleging three separate areas of criminal conduct, that is not the issue," Milner wrote in the latest request for a delay. "The problem is that the defendant will be severely prejudiced by a denial of the continuance."
Without Cantrell's key witness -- whose identity is not revealed in public files -- Milner said his client's jury will not hear all the relevant evidence. That could create grounds for an appeal if Cantrell is convicted, Milner argues.
