Pat Dollard | Young Americans

Note: Howie covers the court proceedings of the slimy lawyer that keyed the Illinois Marine’s car just weeks before he was to be redeployed to Iraq.

Justice Done
By John L. Howell

Cook County District Court Branch 29 was alive with activity this afternoon. On the Courts call this afternoon was the case against Jay Grodner, if you do not already know who Mr. Grodner is he is the gentleman that keyed Sgt. Michael Mc Nulty’s car producing $2400 in damage on December 1st of this past year.

The case was scheduled to be heard at 1:30 and as the time drew closer the Court Room rapidly filled. Mr. Grodner’s was not the only case that was scheduled to be heard, there was approximately 15 to 20 total misdemeanor cases to be heard. Those people that were involved with one of the other 14 cases came into the courtroom they found it hard to find a seat to wait for their case to be called. Sitting in the courts gallery was a sea of Eagle Globes and Anchors, Patriot Guards, Navy, and a couple of suits Kirk Morris a Candidate for the House of Representatives was one of those suits; and this was just those of us that did not know Sgt. Mc Nulty. All Sgt. McNulty’s supporters took about 70 percent of the available seats in the gallery leaving very little room for anyone else that had business in court this afternoon. Sgt. McNulty also had the support of his friends Brian and Tim Sullivan as well as his brother Tim McNulty. All totaled I would be surprised if Sgt McNulty’s cheering section was under forty.

As I looked around the Courtroom I noticed a trend, and not with the crowd that had gathered, but with those that worked at the Courthouse. There were several of the Cook County Deputies that were proudly displaying Marine Corps pins. The Prosecutor was too. I later came to learn that Mr. Kelly had volunteered to prosecute this case, he was a Former Marine Corps Sergeant, and his partner was a Former Green Beret.

When the case was called at just after 1:30 everything was ready except Mr. Grodner. Mr. Grodner or anyone to represent him was absent. Judge William O’Malley said that he would recall the case in fifteen minutes. When the time came for the case to be called a second time there was still no sign of or word from Grodner. The Judge immediately issued a Bench Warrant in the amount of $20,000 for Mr. Grodner. Minutes after the case was called a second time, a member of the Courts staff passed a note to the judge as the Prosecutor walked to the Bench to address the Judge. It turns out that at 1:40 Grodner called the court and spoke to the Prosecutor, Mr. Grodner said that he would be in shortly after 2 PM so that the assumed gathered media could disperse, there was only one member of the media present, John Kass from the Chicago Tribune and he did not leave because Grodner did not show up on time, thankfully he stayed to get the whole story. While we all waited the Judge told those present in Court that Mr. Grodner would be taken into custody on the Bench Warrant that had just been issued when he came into the Court.

When Grodner showed up he was taken into custody just outside of the Courtroom by Cook County Sherriff’s Deputies, unfortunately outside of my view. The Deputies brought Grodner to the Bench where the Judge chastised him for disrespecting his Court for the second time by arriving late, and that his lack of respect for the Court had earned him a trip through the system. He was then promptly taken away to a holding room to await a trip to the County Jail.

With the show over the crowd congregated in the lobby of the Courthouse celebrating a victory for those who wear the Uniform. Some left to return to work, some left to go home under the pressumtion that day was done and we would come back for a new date. Others stayed and continued to chat. Then the Deputies and other staff members from the Court came out and told us that Grodner was coming back into Court. He had made a deal with the Prosecutor.

The few of us that had remained went back into the Courtroom to wait for Grodner to come back out and face the music. Grodner stalled by asking a Deputy to ask the Judge if he could have the time to put his belt back on and re-lace his shoes, the Judges response was classic, “He’ll be treated just like everyone else that comes before my Court.”

When Grodner came before the Judge he still behaved as though he had done nothing wrong and was rather belligerent. When asked about the facts of the case Grodner would not give a straight answer, trying very unsuccessfully to skirt his actions, attempting to turn his excuses into the facts of the case. He only seemed to take things more seriously after the Judge told him if his excuses continued and he did not live up to the agreement that he entered into he could go to jail, post bail, and come back on another day to face up to what he had done.

Grodner was sentenced to one year of Court Supervision; and $600 in restitution, that Sgt. McNulty is having donated to the Injured Marine Semper Fi Fund, to paid within the next 30 days. He was given a stern warning that if he failed to live up to any of the terms in this agreement that he would be taken into custody again and jailed for 364 days in jail and a $2500 fine, the maximum allowed by law.

The best part of the day was when the Judge let Grodner have it. I do not remember it word for word but I can come very close. The Judge asked Grodner if he had noticed the crowded Courtroom when he appeared before the Bench initially, because all of those that were in the Courtroom at the time, or “a vast majority of them were there because of an old adage in the Marine Corps, no one is left behind. Sgt McNulty was unable to be here himself but all of these Former Marines came in his place.” That is not all that was said, but that to me was the highlight.

Thank you again to all of you that showed up and showed support to Sgt McNulty. May God Bless all of you and those who wear the Uniform or support them.