Charges stand in 1982 Round Lake Beach murder
A Lake County judge on Tuesday rejected a second attempt to dismiss the charges against a Tennessee man accused of a 1982 murder in Round Lake Beach.
Associate Judge George Bridges said police did not unnecessarily delay in charging Robert Bostic, 71, with the June 25, 1982 shooting death of Carlton Richmond.
Attorneys for Bostic, who was charged with first-degree murder in the case earlier this year, claimed the nearly 29-year delay in bringing the case made it impossible to defend against.
Bostic, who lives in Kingston, Tenn., is accused of shooting Richmond in a Round Lake Beach garage that served as a clubhouse for a motorcycle club both men were in at the time.
His attorneys claimed that in the time between Richmond's death and their client's arrest, crucial evidence and records have been lost and several witnesses had died.
But Assistant State's Attorney Ken Larue successfully argued the charges were brought against Bostic only because four witnesses in the case had recently decided to cooperate with police after years of stonewalling the investigation.
"I do not find that the state intentionally delayed this matter," Bridges said. "It was not until a number of witnesses cane forward that the state was able to seek an indictment."
Last month, Bridges rejected a defense motion to dismiss the charges based on what Bostic's attorneys claimed was misinformation presented to the grand jury that issued the indictment.
Bostic is held on $1.5 million bond and is scheduled to go on trial Aug. 29.