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Third man on trial in Streamwood supermarket robbery

Criminals don't act alone, prosecutors said Monday during opening statements in the trial of Joseph Bobbitt, one of three Chicago men charged with robbing a Streamwood Aldi store at gunpoint nearly three years ago.

Each of the defendants' roles "was dependent on the other," Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Susanne Groebner said of the robbery, which occurred about 9 p.m. Oct. 23, 2012, as manager Josefina Chavez and employees Alejandro Valenzuela, Ella Villarruel and Corinne Wimmer were preparing to close for the evening.

Groebner said Bobbitt, 49, served as the lookout and Derrick Shelby, 63, acted as backup. Freddie Clemons, 45, wielded the handgun, she said.

"The actions (Bobbitt) took that night show he was an integral part," she said.

Assistant Public Defender Calvin Aguilar disagreed.

The man who pointed a gun at the employees was not Bobbitt, and neither fingerprint nor DNA evidence connects him to the weapon, Aguilar said during his opening statement, in which he insisted that "merely being present and being associated" with defendants doesn't make his client guilty of their crimes.

Few things are scarier than being forced at gunpoint to surrender your property, Aguilar said, adding, "One thing more scary ... is being charged with a serious crime you didn't commit."

Valenzuela, a former cashier, testified three men entered the store before closing. Clemons, whom Valenzuela identified by his black hoodie, selected a few items then pointed a gun at him and ordered him to lie on the floor, he said. Shelby, who wore a White Sox cap, stood near the entrance surveying the store, he said. Bobbitt, whom Valenzuela identified in court as the defendant wearing a red shirt, entered with the other two but exited the store moments later.

Valenzuela testified Shelby ordered Villarruel to lie down while Clemons told Wimmer to remove money from the register. Under cross examination, Valenzuela said Bobbitt neither ordered employees about nor took any money.

Chavez, a seven-year Aldi employee, testified she was taking some groceries she purchased to her car when she noticed the three men entering the store, which was empty except for the four employees.

"They all ducked their heads for the camera, which made me suspicious," said Chavez, who suspected a possible robbery and called 911. She hung up when she saw Bobbitt exit the store. When the emergency dispatcher called back, Chavez gave a "quick description of suspicious activity."

From the way Bobbitt's eyes tracked her as she crossed the parking lot, "I knew something was going to happen," Chavez said.

The prosecution played several video clips showing Clemons and Shelby, with fleeting shots of Bobbitt, which corroborated the employees' testimony.

Shelby pleaded guilty to armed robbery in 2013 and was sentenced to nine years in prison. Clemons was convicted of armed robbery in January and sentenced to 30 years in prison. If convicted, Bobbitt faces a maximum sentence of 30 years.

Testimony continues Wednesday.

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