County attorney Martin Lucas will present a proposed mediation agreement regarding overcrowding conditions at the county jail to the Starke County Council when they meet this evening. Jack Haut and several other inmates sued the county in April of 2011. Their lawsuit claims the cramped conditions violate their civil rights. The Starke County Sheriff’s Office has been sending prisoners to Pulaski County for the past year to alleviate the overcrowding, and the county is moving forward with plans to build a new jail east of Knox on State Road 8 and County Road 550 East.
After tabling a bid for bridge repairs at their meeting on Dec. 3, the Starke County Commissioners last week hired engineering firm Jones Petrie Rafinksi to replace Bridge 43 in Oregon Township. Bridge 43 is the next bridge to be replaced in the county.
In addition, the commissioners addressed the Marshall-Starke County Cooperative Agreement, which Commissioner Kathy Norem said is an agreement between the two counties’ highway departments regarding equipment and man-hours shared in 2012. She said that has been taken care of as well.
The Court of Appeals has upheld the conviction and sentence against Jack Haut.
Haut was found guilty by a jury of a Class C Felony charge of Reckless Homicide and was sentenced to eight years in prison. A jury found that Haut had driven his pickup truck on U.S. 35 north of Knox and into the path of a motorcycle driven by Tom White, who died from injuries in that accident. Haut claimed he had no recollection of that event and chemical tests proved that he had controlled substances in his body at the time of the accident. A police officer had testified during the trial that Haut appeared intoxicated at the scene.
The Court of Appeals noted in their decision that sufficient evidence supported his conviction and the court upheld the jury’s decision and the judge’s sentence.
The class action lawsuit against Starke County by former Starke County Jail inmate Jack Haut is still at a standstill, as the court is currently awaiting an expert witness report from the plaintiffs to substantiate their allegations that the jail is so overcrowded that conditions are unconstitutional for inmates.
While they have until Aug. 30 to do so, the plaintiffs have been having a rough time coming up with the expert witness report required by the court. It was reported that they had found an expert witness and had begun developing the report, but the witness unexpectedly passed away, effectively bringing them back to square one. They now have to hire a new expert witness to work on the report, and until then, there is no trial setting for the case.
A hearing will be held in Jasper County today on Linda Belork’s request to have a court-imposed Temporary Restraining Order removed allowing her to return to her duties as the Starke County Treasurer. Belork has been out of the office since August 13th after being removed by the County Commissioners following the issuance of a State Audit showing thousands of dollars in discrepancies.
The money has been found, but Belork has been blocked by the order from returning to office. Objecting to her return are the Starke County Commissioners. Judge John Potter will be seeking pertinent information from Belork’s attorney, Ethan Lowe, and Martin Lucas, attorney for the commissioners, during today’s hearing.
Starke County Commissioner Kathy Norem recently led a group of county officials to a National Institute of Corrections Conference in Denver, Colorado where they studied the procedure for identifying jail needs and how a project moves along after a decision is made.
Norem also led officials on tours of other jails. One thing we have not heard is what the price range might be of a new jail. She talked about how she viewed the make-up and price of the Miami County Jail.
“Miami County was probably more suitable for something that we would want to see locally and that was around $12 million or $14 million.”
One thing the group heard in Colorado is that there is a danger with a jail in the condition of the Starke County Jail because of the possibility of lawsuits. The Jack Haut Class Action lawsuit is still moving through the legal system. Even though Kathy Norem has never expressed guilt in the suit, she has mentioned that there might be others that are brought with merit.
“Basically, that lawsuit is alleging his constitutional rights are being violated and we deny that. That is not true. We do not believe that to be true and we intend to vigorously defend that. However, that doesn’t alleviate us from addressing ongoing issues within that jail. One thing that we need to do is take a look at how other people are doing their facilities and what some of their policies and practices are and try to adopt some of the best ones here.”
Chief Deputy Bill Dulin of the Starke County Sheriff’s Department will be in to discuss jail issues with us tomorrow.
Judge Kim Hall gave Jack Haut a stiff sentence yesterday afternoon in the Starke Circuit Court. Hall described Haut as “a despicable human being that deserves far more than the eight years for killing another man,” and Prosecutor Nick Bourff said he was a “medicated menace.”
The second day of the trial of Jack Haut in Starke Circuit Court ultimately ended in a verdict for one count of Reckless Homicide, a Class C felony after his truck struck the motorcycle of Tom White, killing him. After a brief deliberation, the 12-person jury returned with a guilty verdict, and Haut’s sentencing is set for August 17th at 11:00 a.m.
The trial for Jack Haut began yesterday in Starke Circuit Court with opening statements from both sides. Haut is charged with Reckless Homicide following an accident that occurred on July 2nd, 2010, when a white pickup truck Haut was driving collided with the motorcycle operated by Tom White, killing him instantly.
Jack Haut’s trial is expected to begin on Wednesday in Starke Circuit Court. Haut is charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Causing Death and Reckless Homicide.
In July 2010, it is alleged that Jack Haut was driving his pickup truck on US 35 north of Knox when he swerved into the other lane and struck Thomas White of Knox head-on. White was riding a motorcycle at the time of the accident. White died from injuries sustained in the accident.
Starke County Commissioners ( L to R ) Kathy Norem, Dan Bridegroom, Jennifer Davis
The Starke County Commissioners toured another jail this week. They had recently visited the Marshall and Miami County jails. On Monday, they went to Rensselaer to tour the Jasper County Jail.
The tour of the 128 bed facility was conducted by Sheriff Terry Risner. The Jasper County jail is two years old and was moved from its former downtown Rensselaer location to property north of the city on State Road 231. Continue reading →
Starke County Commissioner Kathy Norem described the jail tour made by the Commissioners last week as worthwhile. The Commissioners and Sheriff Oscar Cowen toured the Marshall and Miami County jails and although both used the same “footprint”, Marshall County rolled more equipment into their bond issue.
Norem wanted it known that the trip was not made because of the Jack Haut class action suit against the County, claiming deplorable conditions in the Starke County Jail.
Friday was a busy day for the Starke Circuit Court as Magistrate Jeanene Calabrese set several dates for many of the cases that appeared before her. In one such case, a jury status hearing for Jack Haut, a pre-trial motion and instructions date was set for July 19th at 1:00 p.m. Haut is charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Causing Death and Reckless Homicide after his pickup truck collided with the motorcycle of Tom White last July, causing White’s death. Continue reading →
Jack Haut will appear in Starke Circuit Court this morning for a status hearing. Haut is charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Causing Death and Reckless Homicide.
In July 2010, it is alleged that Jack Haut was driving his pickup truck on US 35 north of Knox when he swerved into the other lane and struck Thomas White of Knox head-on. White was riding a motorcycle at the time of the accident and died at the scene.
His jury trial has been scheduled for July 20th at 9:00 a.m.
Jack Haut appeared in the Starke Circuit Court yesterday afternoon for a final status hearing, and his jury trial has been scheduled for July 20 at 9am. Haut is charged with Operating a Vehicle While Intoxicated Causing Death, and Reckless Homicide. Haut told the court that he plans to have six witnesses, and will provide the court with a list of these witnesses by Friday, July 1. The jury status hearing for this case is set for July 8 at 9am.
Starke County Commissioner, Kathy Norem, was questioned by the County Council Monday on funding the defense in a Class Action Lawsuit filed against the County by Starke County Jail inmate, Jack Haut.
The Council asked Norem if she had any idea what range of funding would be needed for this lawsuit.
The Starke County Council last night approved the Starke County Commissioners’ request to transfer $100,000 into the Legal Fund from the Health Fund to defend the County in the Jack Haut Class Action Lawsuit. Haut, as previously reported, is suing the County claiming the jail does not meet humane conditions because of overcrowding.
Talk of a new Starke County Jail has surfaced again. The three Starke County Commissioners talked about visiting other county jails in Marshall, Fulton and Brown Counties to look at the configuration of the buildings.
The announcement of the fact that they would be touring these buildings was made during the June 16th meeting to discuss the Class Action Law Suit brought against the County by Jack Haut, a Starke County Inmate.
Starke County Commissioners ( L to R ) Kathy Norem, Dan Bridegroom, Jennifer Davis
The Starke County Commissioners met yesterday to discuss the Class Action Suit brought against the County by inmate Jack Haut. Because the suit is not covered by insurance, the County must come up with the money for legal expenses. County Attorney, Marty Lucas, advised the Commissioners that it will cost a minimum of $100,000 in attorney fees. And he said don’t expect a quick resolution.
Haut, in his suit, is seeking declaratory and injunctive relief because of the conditions at the Starke County Jail. One part of the suit is the claim that the jail is consistently overcrowded.
