No cameras in courtroom for teacher sex abuse case

While the case of a Downers Grove South High School teacher accused of sexually abusing and assaulting a student has garnered global attention, don’t expect to see photos of her taken inside the courtroom.

DuPage County Judge Mia McPherson said “no” April 18 to The Daily Mail’s request to have a photographer take pictures and videos of the court proceedings regarding Christina Formella.

McPherson agreed with objections from Formella’s attorney and DuPage County prosecutors. McPherson said, in particular, she was concerned because it is a sexual-crimes case and the complainant is a juvenile.

If the Daily Mail had been allowed to take photographs, they would have had to share them with other media outlets, per the state’s rules on photography in courtrooms.

“These videos and photographs will undoubtedly make its way to other media outlets, whose main interest is to appeal to the salacious appetite of a certain segment of the population, who has a bizarre fascination with the facts of this case,” two prosecutors argued in a written response to the Daily Mail’s request.

Defense attorney Todd Pugh wrote that tabloid reporters had harassed Formella and her neighbors. He argued allowing photography would create a “heightened media spectacle” that could prejudice potential jurors.

The Daily Mail has photographed and video-recorded Formella outside of a family business, and posted several Facebook photos of her, her husband and other relatives. On April 18, a Daily Mail photographer did take video of Formella walking into the courthouse in Wheaton, with a reporter asking her “Why? Help us understand.”

Formella, 30, is charged with criminal sexual assault and two counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse of a then-15-year-old boy in 2023. The boy’s mother discovered text messages between the two in March, and went to police.

Formella’s next court hearing is June 17.

Meet the new boss

The federal prosecutor who put away the man described as the world’s most prolific online drug dealer is now back at the U.S. attorney’s office in Chicago, and this time he’s in charge.

Andrew S. Boutros took the oath of office April 7 as the interim U.S. attorney for the Northern District of Illinois.

“I am committed to working alongside old and new colleagues to tackle the important problems that face our district,” Boutros said. “In addition, I look forward to working with our law enforcement partners to continue the office’s long-standing tradition of pursuing justice on behalf of the citizens of the Northern District of Illinois.”

Woof woof

It’s official: The Batavia Police Department’s comfort dog, River, took her oath of office at a city council meeting Monday night.

The red fox Labrador retriever joined the department last August, and has been busy undergoing obedience training. She already has been to some community events, and recently comforted a child during a stressful police call.

“She is probably one of the most popular city employees I have ever seen,” Mayor Jeff Schielke said. “I think it (having a comfort dog) is going to have some magic moments.”

River is an appropriate name, since the department is housed beside the Fox River.

River was pretty chill throughout the ceremony, stretching out as if prepared to take a little nap. She will work with Community Policing Officer Liz Webb.

Really?

It’s bad enough when you go to a park or forest preserve and see litter — the U.S. has had an anti-littering campaign for nearly 75 years.

But somebody took it to another level, Kane County Forest Preserve Police noted in their monthly report of March activities.

A witness called 911 to report seeing somebody back a rental truck up to the Fox River, via a boat launch at Kenyon Farm Forest Preserve in South Elgin. The person then threw trash into the river, including furniture, clothing, plastic bags and a “significant amount” of broken glass.

An officer located the truck several miles away and issued a citation for dumping. The matter also was reported to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources, which has jurisdiction over the river.