Defense requests fired Kane Co. jail officer's records

The attorney for a Kane County jail official accused of driving drunk wants Geneva police brass to turn over records explaining why an officer involved in his client's arrest has been fired.

Appearing in court Friday, defense attorney David Camic said he intends to subpoena the Geneva Police and Fire Commission for personnel records related to Monday's firing of patrol officer Susan Deuchler.

The subpoena comes even as Geneva officials say Deuchler's termination was "in no way, shape or form" related to the June 29 arrest of Kane County corrections officer Lt. Todd Exline on a drunken driving charge that has threatened his career.

Camic did not elaborate on what he expects to find in the records, or how they could affect his defense. "It really would depend on why they fired her," he said.

On Friday, Judge Allen Anderson set a date of Feb. 6 to consider Camic's motion to dismiss the charge entirely. In October, the same judge upheld the arrest.

Deuchler, 29, was nearing the end of an 18-month probation period with the Geneva Police Department when she was fired for failing an oral exam required to become a police officer, officials said. Geneva Police Chief Bill Kidwell has said Deuchler "performed exactly as she should have" seven months earlier, when she was involved with Exline's arrest.

Camic has argued police did not ask Exline to take a Brethalyzer test and made mistakes in a field sobriety test when he was pulled over.

Exline, 46, of Aurora, remains on unpaid leave while awaiting a hearing before the Sheriff's Merit Commission this month. Sheriff Pat Perez has recommended Exline be fired.