Let me get this straight...

(Dr. Scott) Denton said he did not believe there was evidence that the shot had been fired at close range – that is, less than 18 to 24 inches. Denton said he saw nothing obvious to suggest close-range firing but he did not run tests on Mr. Carrington's clothing to see if there was soot or gunpowder residue on them.

A Forensic Pathologist says there's no evidence to support something, because he didn't test for it?

Rietz said her review of the report was for the sole purpose of determining if there is sufficient evidence to warrant criminal charges, not to determine if there are grounds for a civil lawsuit or if Champaign police violated any of their own departmental policies.

Well, the Escalation of Force is Unarmed > Baton > Mace/Taser > Firearm,  but apparently if you have pockets it skips to Firearm.

Glock 45, which was in good working condition, fired, the bullet

I know you have to clear away the malfunction defense, but generally speaking, if it fired the bullet, the gun is in working condition.

Of course, I still feel a tickle in my hate-gland on account of her handling of the Edgar Heap-of-Birds incident:

Mark Nepermann, 21, a May graduate in fine and applied arts from Batavia, was arraigned Thursday on a single count of misdemeanor theft alleging he stole signs valued at less than $300 from the UI and Edgar Heap of Birds on Saturday.

 The comedy part is each sign is appraised and insured at $10, 000, as works of art, but he was charged their material and fabrication costs, which neatly avoids a felony charge. Unlike say,

CHAMPAIGN – Champaign County State's Attorney Julia Rietz said she expects to charge a Champaign woman who allegedly encouraged her teen-age daughter to fight another teen with a felony.

 Tell your daughter to fight someone on YouTube? Felony.

– Official misconduct, a Class 3 felony, alleging that on Nov. 13, 2006, he used a health district credit card to buy a personal meal.

Use the wrong credit card to pay for lunch? Felony.

Steal $20, 000 worth of art? Misdemeanor.

I guess it sounds like I'm being overly critical and getting on my soapbox for no good reason...

In the primary, Urbana attorney Alfred Ivy III criticized Rietz's office for a lack of consistency in the charges it files for various crimes. He said they were overly harsh in many cases, involving both youths and adults, particularly minorities, creating disparities in whom the county prosecutes and how.

Oh. I guess I'm not.

(All quotes taken from News-Gazette archives.)