Lawyer's bid denied in Gilberts murder case

A Chicago-based lawyer pledged Friday to appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court to be reinstated as the defense attorney of a 30-year-old Gilberts man accused of murder and arson.

Kane County prosecutors are seeking the death penalty for Frank Hill, who is accused of killing his girlfriend, Karyn Pearson, and setting fire to her Gilberts townhouse on Jan. 9.

After his arrest, Hill hired attorney Andre Grant, but Grant is not certified to defend capital punishment cases.

Frank Hill also has retained Stanley Hill, no relation, who is certified, but state law requires two death penalty certified lawyers.

Last month, Judge Timothy Sheldon replaced Grant and Stanley Hill with Dave Kliment, the county's public defender, who is capital case certified. Frank Hill has claimed he's indigent.

Friday, Sheldon denied Stanley Hill's request to be put back on the case.

The attorney argued he and his client had formed a bond over a 2½ month period and Sheldon's initial appointment allowed Stanley Hill to draw from a state-funded account for lawyers in capital cases.

Stanley Hill said police conducted a sloppy investigation of Frank Hill's car and the state's case is far from airtight.

"We've come up with a defense consistent with innocent," Stanley Hill said.

If his appeal is denied, Stanley Hill said he could not represent Frank Hill for free. "That's the reason we have the capital litigation fund," he said.

Frank Hill has been held on $500,000 bond since his arrest.