Berwyn man with long record held without bond in attempted robbery

A Berwyn man who prosecutors say shot an Illinois Lottery winner four times last September, was ordered held without bond Monday in Rolling Meadows.

Following a lengthy investigation, police charged Robert English, of the 3800 block of S. Euclid Ave., with attempted murder and home invasion in the attack, which they say occurred at the victim's Rolling Meadows home about 1 a.m. Sept. 6, 2009.

If convicted, English could face six to 30 years in prison, plus another 25 years to life for the use of a firearm. Additionally, he could face another six to 60 years in prison based on prior convictions.

Cook County Assistant State's Attorney Maria McCarthy, supervisor for Rolling Meadows' Third Municipal District, said Monday that English and an uncharged co-offender donned black clothes, gloves and skeleton masks and tried to break down the back door of the victim's home to steal his lottery winnings.

English, 34, pulled a gun and demanded money and marijuana from the victim, who tried to fend off the invasion by pushing the door shut, McCarthy said. English fired, hitting the 41-year-old victim several times, said McCarthy, adding that the victim survived wounds to his chest, abdomen, arm and shoulder.

After the home alarm sounded, English and the co-offender ran from the house to a truck driven by co-defendant Carmine T. Palella, of the 1500 block of Norway Lane in Palatine, McCarthy said.

At the time of the incident, Palella, 47, was dating English's sister, said McCarthy. Palella, she said, had told English and the third offender that the victim had recently won $100,000 in the lottery.

Palella was charged earlier this month with attempted murder and home invasion and remains in Cook County Jail on a $2 million bond.

Court records show English has seven felony convictions, including a pending aggravated battery to police officer in Maywood's Fourth Municipal District for which he's been convicted but not yet sentenced. His criminal background includes a 2006 conviction for attempted burglary for which he received 30 months in prison.

For a 2005 theft, English received three years in prison. That was preceded by a 2000 armed robbery conviction for which he received six years in prison. For a 1998 bribery conviction, English was sentenced to boot camp and three years in prison. That sentence ran concurrent with 1997 convictions for defacing a firearm and the manufacture and delivery of a look-alike substance.

Additionally, said McCarthy, English has four felony cases pending, including a 2006 charge of armed robbery and aggravated kidnapping and two separate burglary and attempted burglary charges from 2009 which McCarthy said occurred within days of the Rolling Meadows home invasion.

He next appears in court on March 9.