Trial delayed in Hawthorn Woods home invasion

The trial for an attorney charged with breaking into a Hawthorn Woods house and threatening his ex-wife and daughter with a gun has been postponed until September.

Defense attorney Jed Stone said in court Tuesday he is trying to negotiate a plea deal between prosecutors and Raymond Clutts, 57, of North Barrington. However, Stone told Judge George Bridges the two sides are "so far apart on the facts and the disposition that we may have to go to trial."

After court, Stone said Clutts does not deserve to go to prison for breaking into the house at 6:15 p.m. Nov. 7 on the 0-100 block of Barberry Court after a nasty divorce with his ex-wife.

"Ray Clutts is a 54-year-old lawyer who has never been in any trouble at any part of his life," Stone said outside the courtroom. "There are a thousand other tools in the prosecutors toolbox they can use. A hammer is only one of them."

Clutts, of the 100 block of Clubhouse Drive, faces 26 to 50 years in prison if found guilty of discharging a firearm during a home invasion. He remains held in the Lake County jail without bond,

Authorities said Clutts entered the ex-wife's kitchen with a gun in his hand and briefly stared at the victims before firing multiple shots into the ceiling.

After the gunshots, his ex-wife and daughter escaped by running out of the kitchen and through the front door, authorities said. They were not injured.

Hawthorn Woods police arrived at the residence a short time later and confronted Clutts in the driveway. Clutts put his hands up when officers confronted him but then lowered his hand and made a gesture that he was going to remove the weapon from his waistband, authorities said.

One officer fired a shot at Clutts and a second officer fired a stun gun, authorities said. The gunshot missed Clutts, but he was struck by the stun gun and taken into custody.

His trial is delayed until Sept. 21. He is due back in court Aug. 25.