Judge acquits Algonquin man in friend's fatal heroin overdose

Citing numerous inconsistencies in a key witness's testimony and calling her observations "worthless," a McHenry County judge today cleared an Algonquin man of allegations he was to blame for a friend's fatal heroin overdose.

Judge Joseph Condon found James Jurkowski not guilty of drug-induced homicide, a charge that could have landed him in prison for 10 years if he had been convicted. Instead, Jurkowski, 34, of the 2100 block of Glacier Court, soon will go free after spending the past year behind bars awaiting trial.

Jurkowski showed little reaction as Condon issued the verdict, but family members speaking later outside court said they were very relieved by the ruling.

"I feel that he made the correct decision based on the incompetence of the witnesses," his father, Ralph Jurkowski, said. "Justice was served."

Jurkowski was indicted on a charge of drug-induced homicide charge last March in connection with the Jan. 12, 2009, death of Mark A. Gouge, a fellow Algonquin resident found dead that night in the parking lot of a bar on the village's east side.

During a two-hour trial Tuesday, held at Jurkowski's request before Condon instead of a jury, McHenry County prosecutors labeled the Algonquin man as a "facilitator" without whom Gouge might not have died.

Their key witness, a 30-year-old Woodstock woman who received immunity for her testimony, told Condon she traveled to Chicago with Jurkowski and Gouge that night to buy and use heroin.

According to Amy Belknap's account, Jurkowski arranged the deal then drove all three to a parking lot on the city's West side. Once there, she testified, she gave Gouge money to buy heroin. When he did, she said, he passed the drugs to Jurkowski, who drove to another part of the city and handed out the heroin. All three used it before traveling back to Algonquin.

Authorities said Gouge, a 37-year-old father of two, overdosed during the ride home and was dumped in the parking lot of Tavern at the Bridge by Jurkowski. His longtime girlfriend, who had gone to the bar looking for him, later found him dead.

In his ruling, Condon blasted Belknap's testimony, noting she admittedly was drunk when the drug transaction took place and labeling heroin addicts, which she was at the time, as "notorious liars."

"Frankly, (her testimony) doesn't make any sense to me at all," the judge said. "Amy Belknap is attempting to maximize the defendant's involvement in this death and minimize her own complicity. Her observations, in my opinion, are worthless. She will say anything to anyone to avoid any adverse consequences to herself."