PART 15 OF COUNTYLEAKS SERIES ON DUPAGE COUNTY FOREST PRESERVE...
Part One, Part Two, Part Three, Part Four, Part Five, Part Six, Part Seven, Part Eight, Part Nine, Part Ten, Part Eleven, Part Twelve,Part Thirteen, Part Fourteen
On Oct. 1, 2015, 18th Circuit Court Judge Liam Brennan convicted former DuPage County Forest Preserve IT employee David Tepper of 29 felony counts in the most over-charged case in Illinois history. Brennan later sentenced Tepper to 180 days in jail - six days for each felony - and $83,000 in fines for "intent to defraud". Tepper has appealed this conviction. Following are never-reported and under-reported connections of Brennan and a Forest Preserve vendor directly related to this case, and the offices of the State's Attorney and the former Chief Judge.
September 18, 2015 - Day Five of the eight-day criminal trial of a former DuPage County Forest Preserve IT employee David Tepper and former vendor Arif Mahmood - was bizarre.
Employment attorney Leigh Jeter of Clark Baird Smith LLP was appearing as the only witness for the prosecution that day. After introducing her credentials, she explained that she had been hired by the DuPage County Forest Preserve to perform the exit interview of Tepper on Nov. 4, 2011. When asked who attended this exit interview in addition to herself, Jeter supplied names of Tepper and former Human Resources Director Laura Capizzano. She also named a fourth person.
Tepper's defense attorney, Terry Ekl, raised strong objections on various matters. The prosecution sought a recess. Judge Liam Brennan agreed. When the judge, bailiff, court reporter, court secretary, two prosecutors, investigator, defense team, defendants and observers filed in 2 1/2 hours later, the prosecution apologized and announced that they had withdrawn their witness. Day Five was done.
The fourth person Jeter had named still hung in the court room air...
Vince Durante.
