Hyde’s theft, official misconduct trial delayed again

Moves by the defense and the prosecution Tuesday forced another delay in the Sharon Hyde theft and official misconduct trial.

Hyde, 60, the wife of former Island Lake mayor Thomas Hyde, is accused of collecting $114,000 in pay during a 10-year period for hours she did not work as director of a village-run preschool.

Charged in 2009, Hyde was scheduled to go on trial Aug. 29, but both sides of the case asked Lake County Circuit Judge Fred Foreman to put the proceeding on hold Tuesday.

Defense attorney Brian Smith of Waukegan filed a motion to dismiss the case against his client, the second such motion in the case’s history.

Smith said the defense believes “misleading and inaccurate information” was presented to the grand jury that indicted Hyde.

In February 2010, Foreman denied a motion to dismiss the case that claimed Hyde was paid a flat amount to manage the preschool, and the actual hours she worked were irrelevant.

The dismissal of that motion appears to have prompted the passage of a village board resolution declaring Hyde was a salaried employee just three weeks after Forman’s ruling.

Assistant State’s Attorney Christen Bishop said Tuesday her staff is still investigating what appears to be altered time sheets submitted by Hyde during the time period covered by the indictment.

The time sheets could be used as evidence in the current case against Hyde, or may form the basis for new charges based on what the investigation determines, Bishop said.

Foreman ordered the parties to return to court Aug. 31 to discuss scheduling of further proceedings.