State appellate court overturns pair of Kane cases

The Illinois Appellate Court has reversed rulings on two Kane County sex cases.

James Ostrowski, formerly of Westchester, was convicted in 2007 of criminal sexual abuse and resisting a peace officer for allegedly kissing his 4-year-old granddaughter on the lips in July 2006, after watching fireworks at the Sugar Grove Corn Boil. He was sentenced to 36 months probation.

According to multiple witnesses, Ostrowski was heavily intoxicated.

The appellate court overturned the conviction on the basis that the court was unsure whether Ostrowski kissed his granddaughter was "for the purpose of sexual gratification or arousal." Witnesses' versions of the stories all contained inconsistencies in details, the court also noted, as to the length of the kiss. Ostrowski's conviction on resisting a police officer was upheld.

The court also overturned the conviction of former St. Charles resident Charles Clendenin. He was convicted in 2007 of unlawful possession of child pornography. The court maintained that Clendenin's lawyer, Larry Wechter, ineffectively handled the case.