East Chicago councilman sworn in from behind bars - Polidicks

[QUOTE]EAST CHICAGO, Ind. (WLS) -- An East Chicago councilman was sworn into office behind bars earlier this month while in custody on murder charges. Robert Battle, who was re-elected in November when he ran unopposed, was given his oath of office and signed required paperwork on Jan. 15, said Paula Miraldi, of the Lake County Board of Elections in northwest Indiana. The board of elections received the paperwork Friday morning, but it was dated Jan. 15. Battle needed to be sworn in and submit his paperwork by Feb. 1, otherwise the council post would be declared vacant. Battle has been in the custody of the Porter Council Jail in northwest Indiana, according to the Porter County Sheriff's Office. "We would not have specific knowledge of an event for it. Many different ways it could be completed," said Sgt. Jamie Erow, of the sheriff's office. Battle needed to meet with a notary public to complete the process, Miraldi said. His paperwork indicates that it was completed by Margaret J. Hawkins, a notary public and civil clerk. Prosecutors said Battle fatally shot Reimundo Camarillo Jr. in October. Battle's attorney has claimed that Camarillo pulled a knife on him, but police said they didn't find a knife at the scene. The murder charge came just weeks after Battle was arrested for drug possession Source: [url]http://abc7chicago.com/news/east-chicago-councilman-sworn-in-from-behind-bars/1173224/[/url][/QUOTE]

Shouldn't, you know, being charged for [b]MURDER[/b] and drug possession kind of make you ineligible for running for public office?

Considering this is Chicago I'm not suprised

[QUOTE=mralexs;49617566]Shouldn't, you know, being charged for [b]MURDER[/b] and drug possession kind of make you ineligible for running for public office?[/QUOTE] Charged for and convicted of are two different things. I know it doesn't seem like it but the justice system is [I]supposed[/I] to act on the principle of "innocent until proven guilty". I'm not saying he didn't murder anyone but it'd be kinda fucked if you could lose your eligibility for office just because someone accuses you of something. If he's found guilty I'm sure he'll lose his position anyway.

[QUOTE=Mark9013100;49617573]Considering this is Chicago I'm not suprised[/QUOTE] [quote]EAST CHICAGO, Ind.[/quote] First line

[QUOTE=Da Bomb76;49618481]First line[/QUOTE] its still chicago :v: but this is kind of a predicament because there's still the chance he's innocent.

[QUOTE=Da Bomb76;49618481]First line[/QUOTE] You do realize that's still part of the Chicago metro area despite being in a different state, right? [T]http://www.bestplaces.net/images/city/1819486_in_east_chicago.png[/T]

[QUOTE=laharlsblade;49617600]Charged for and convicted of are two different things. I know it doesn't seem like it but the justice system is [I]supposed[/I] to act on the principle of "innocent until proven guilty". I'm not saying he didn't murder anyone but it'd be kinda fucked if you could lose your eligibility for office just because someone accuses you of something. If he's found guilty I'm sure he'll lose his position anyway.[/QUOTE] Wouldn't the sensible thing be to wait and see how the trial actually goes first? Being eliminated from holding public office until you're cleared really seems like a common sense policy to have in place.

[QUOTE=mralexs;49617566]Shouldn't, you know, being charged for [b]MURDER[/b] and drug possession kind of make you ineligible for running for public office?[/QUOTE] no, it just makes you ineligable to vote ever again. so whats that say, we make convicts forever disenfranchised even after they've been "reformed" but they can run for office while serving prison sentences

[QUOTE=Sableye;49621059]no, it just makes you ineligable to vote ever again. so whats that say, we make convicts forever disenfranchised even after they've been "reformed" but they can run for office while serving prison sentences[/QUOTE] He hasn't been convicted.

[QUOTE=The Duke;49620999]You do realize that's still part of the Chicago metro area despite being in a different state, right? [T]http://www.bestplaces.net/images/city/1819486_in_east_chicago.png[/T][/QUOTE] It is not Chicago at all. Due to it being in a different state altogether, the do not pay into Chicago's taxes and regulations. The only reason it's East Chicago is that it was an integral part of the Chicago's industrial age. Now that it has passed, it's just another steel producing city struggling to compete with cheap import steel. And casinos.

[QUOTE=Lone_Star94;49621725]It is not Chicago at all. Due to it being in a different state altogether, the do not pay into Chicago's taxes and regulations. The only reason it's East Chicago is that it was an integral part of the Chicago's industrial age. Now that it has passed, it's just another steel producing city struggling to compete with cheap import steel. And casinos.[/QUOTE] I'm willing to bet it has virtually identical demographics and social structures as real Chicago so the points they are making still stand.

I like how local governments in the US are so complicated with so many elected positions, that candidates running un-opposed is a common thing. Fuck yeah for accountability.

[QUOTE=OvB;49621845]I'm willing to bet it has virtually identical demographics and social structures as real Chicago so the points they are making still stand.[/QUOTE] Region Rats might like to tell you otherwise, but there are some major differences between The Region and Chicago. There are a lot of similarities, but the image of Chicago corruption isn't so applicable to Northwest Indiana. Think more urban decay, crippling alcoholism, and pierogies.