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UIS offers public lecture series on Jury Perspectives

June 9, 2005

SPRINGFIELD – The University of Illinois at Springfield is offering a series of free public lectures examining the American jury system in conjunction with the course American Juries: Theories, Themes, and Processes. All lectures are held in room 2008 of University Hall on the UIS campus. Advance reservations are not required.

Speakers include a mix of judges, prosecutors, public and private defense attorneys, and private investigators. The course is being taught by Michael Searcy, UIS assistant professor of Communication.

“One of the main objectives of this course is to educate citizens who are potential participants in the jury process,” said Searcy. “Answering the call to serve on a jury is one of the greatest duties Americans have. This course is an attempt to educate people about the gravity of their obligations as citizens and to help them recognize that reality is not the same as a television show.”

Searcy continued, “The course is designed to present the student with multiple perspectives – professional, academic, and popular culture. Our incredibly distinguished list of speakers will offer a caliber of professional perspectives that is consistent with the best trial minds anywhere.”

Sangamon County States Attorney John Schmidt delivered the initial lecture on June 6. Donald Tracy, an attorney with Brown, Hay and Stephens LLP, was the June 8 speaker. Remaining speakers, their dates and times are:

Tom Londrigan Sr. (Londrigan, Potter and Randle PC) - 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 14

Stuart Shiffman (Associate Judge, Sangamon County) - 1 p.m. Thursday, June 16

Bill Clutter (Director of Investigations, UIS Downstate Illinois Innocence Project) –
3 p.m. Thursday, June 16

Carol Posegate (Posegate and Denes, PC) - 1:30 p.m. Tuesday, June 21

John Nolan (Hinshaw and Culbertson LLP) - 1 p.m. Thursday, June 23 

Brian Otwell (Public Defender, Sangamon County) - 1 p.m. Tuesday, June 28

Gerald Barris (Sorling, Northrup, Hanna, Cullen and Cochran Ltd.) - 1 p.m. Thursday, June 30 

Don Craven (Craven Law Offices) - 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 5

Stan Wasser (Feldman, Wasser, Draper and Benson) - 1 p.m. Thursday, July 7

Mike Metnick (Metnick, Cherry, Frazier and Sabin, LLP) - 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 12

Tom Schanzle-Haskins (Giffin, Winning, Cohen and Bodewes, PC) - 3:30 p.m. Thursday, July 14 

Bill Roberts (Hinshaw and Culbertson, LLP) - 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 19

David Risley (U.S. Attorney’s Office, Sangamon County) - 1 p.m. Thursday, July 21

Curt Koepke (Hiltabrand and Koepke) - 1 p.m. Tuesday, July 26

For more information, contact Searcy at 206-7295.