NEWS, Online petition demands local judge resign over Connolly visitation (custody, support)

[jtjmom]

BLOOMINGTON — An online petition critical of McLean County Judge James Souk was gaining support Tuesday as supporters of two slain LeRoy boys questioned how the children were allowed unsupervised visits with their father.

Pantagraph.com | News | Online petition demands local judge resign over Connolly visitation

It wasn't just our case, this judge is a real piece of work. My heart breaks for that poor mother.

~D

[linicx]

It is very sad. but I expect the judge followed the letter of the law and probably relied on what the Social Worker included the report. Unfortunately tragedies like this are not unique to McLean Counnty or any other county in America.

A 6 year old boy was put in a forster home in Missouri where it was known the foster father was ahunter and had guns on the premises. The oldest child of the couple was tired of the kid who wanted to play. He loaded his father's rifle and killed him. The State's postion was the father was a hunter and he could not be expected to not have guns. .Why didn't this hunter have his guns and ammo under lock and key? I would be willing to bet he asks himself that same question every day; he should. The answer? Because he trusted his children because HE TAUGHT them how to hunt.

The foster home was disbanded, their children were removed permanently and placed in foster homes for adoption. The parents and shooter were arrested, and were still awaiting trial twp uears later. It was clearly the State's fault for placing any foster child in a home where guns were present and easily accessible. It was sheer stupidity on the part of the caseworker. I hope she found a new job.

I am not anti-guns. I was raised with guns, but they were locked out of sight, and so was the ammo. Anyone who wants a gun can get one at any time and in most towns in America. You don't need a license or a brain to kill. The father could not get custody of his sons, so he permanently *fixed* it so his ex-wife could not have custody of the boys, either. He killed them.

Maybe someday Congress will wake up and realize the signers of the Constitiution, have been dead 300 years. and we are not lving in a primitive land among wild animals and strangers. There is a big difference betteen recreational hunting and ranchers trying to protect 10,000 head of cattle from wild animals and cattle rustlers who bring several semi rigs in the middle of the night to transport stolen cattle. There no excuse for a seasonal hunter to not put the guns and ammo away until the hunting season begins the next year. .

[IllNoize]

Do you have the actual link to the online petition? The link you posted is a link to the article saying there's an online petition to have Judge Souk removed. Thanks. This is such a tragedy.

[jtjmom]

ProudSouk-

I have no doubt that he is a kind, caring person who did not mean for this to happen. My issue is that he did not fully take into account the nature of the complaints, nor the history of Mr. Connolly's mental health and violence issues.

He has said himself that he believes sometimes a judge needs to use his power to facilitate a timely ending to some cases.
Illinois 4

He also ruled that the city has the right to force property owners into selling their land to the city, just because they want to develop it.
Judge: Normal [Illinois] can take land -- Jury to decide how much property owners will be paid

Oh, and let's not forget the whole "withholding evidence of another credible suspect in the Beaman case" thing...
Herald & Review Archives | News: Murder charges against Beaman dropped in death of Lockmiller

And that doesn't even take into account his tendency to nod off during afternoon hearings, which I have personally witnessed.

He may be a good person, with a heart of gold, but I just don't think he can effectively fill the post he was elected to serve anymore. One too many really, really big mistakes... Whether he intended them to be, or not.

He's also on the board of directors for the Home Sweet Home Mission, where the psychiatrist that ultimately gave Mr. Connolly the "all clear" that led to Souk's flawed ruling was through, I believe. Hmmm... Board Member of the mission where the father stayed... Sounds kind of like conflict of interest, too.

He's not a bad man, I'm sure. He's just not right for the job any more. JMO.

~D

[fingerpointedtowrongplace]

Why can't you all see you are placing the blame where it doesn't belong? I urge you to look at all the facts and REALLY place yourself in Judge Souk's position...well perhaps you are incapable because he has more experience and compassion (which he would not be able to be in his position for as long as he has if he did not know his job and had been doing it well) than you may ever know. He served as a judge in my sister's rape trial years ago, years before she eventually commited suicide due possibly to the rape.. her suicide something for which I, myself have endlessly searched for the true reason and place to put the blame... admittedly at one point being angry with Judge Souk for not putting her violater in jail for the rest of his life or punishing him so much more drastically like I felt he deserved. My conclusion after such an emotional and mental struggle to have peace and answers.. Judge Souk was doing his job to the full extent that the law allowed. He did his best to make a non-biased judgement (as JUDGE'S are SUPPOSED to do) and while I would have loved for him to only look at the pain and suffering my sister had been put through and be only on MY side, the law and his job called for the responsiblilty to compassionately and fairly look at both sides of the story and make the most fair and just decision his judicial position would allow. The rapist was convicted and sentenced, and because I am human, I will never feel it was enough. But as I alluded to before, her suicide was a tragedy for which I will never have the answers for.. only my own guesses and conclusions until I see her again. My sister appeared to be a very stable and strong person who was able to carry herself so well no one would have ever seen what was coming.. not her closest friends nor someone trained to see it coming could have ever predicted or prevented. Tragedy is soooo hard to deal with, I know... Unfortunately it is too easy to want to place blame anywhere else than where it belong when a tragedy is so new. Im not trying to sound like an expert in tragedy, but I have been through it a number of times and am only wishing to give insight and help you all who are trying to get Judge Souk off the bench to realize you are making a rash decision to support such a notion and I pray you take the time to really take everything in and look at the facts. If you cant then see that the judge is not to blame, well.. perhaps that is why he is the Judge.