Joliet Killer Won't Have Lawyer For Sentencing

JOLIET, IL — In an attempt to delay his sentencing to the Illinois Department of Corrections for the Joliet Township October 2018 deadly shooting of Nathan Ballard, Dougall Road resident Anthony Francimore blamed Will County Public Defenders Eric Berg for causing his felony first-degree conviction last October by a Will County jury.

Francimore submitted a 20-page amended brief to Will County Judge Vincent Cornelius in March, suggesting that Francimore wanted to testify in his own defense at last fall's jury trial in Courtroom 404, but Berg refused to let that happen.

"Mr. Berg never fully defended the defendant with his motion ... and this shows in the presentation of his motion for new trial due to there was only one single case cited in the entire motion before it was set for a hearing, which is unacceptable by counsel, who is suppose (sic) to defend his client," Francimore wrote in his filing at the Will County Jail where he has lived the past five and a half years. "This motion alone speaks for itself showing how Mr. Berg's conduct as an officer of this court fell below the standards of defending Mr. Francimore as the law persists."

Last Friday, Judge Cornelius ruled against Francimore's filing seeking a new trial on the grounds of ineffective assistance of counsel. The judge noted that the background made in Francimore's filing is without merit, and the motion is denied in its entirety.

The judge also announced that the Will County Public Defender's Office is allowed to part ways with Francimore, who now wants to proceed pro se, without a lawyer, for his upcoming sentencing.

At the moment, the sentencing has not been put on the court's calendar.

Francimore's filing also claimed that Berg visited him at the Will County Jail after the trial and they discussed the fact that Francimore did not take the witness stand to testify in his own defense. "I f***ed up. I'm so sorry," Francimore claimed the public defender told him. "This statement alone by Mr. Berg is fact supporting that even Mr. Berg agrees that his conduct fell below the standards of properly defending the defendant. Investigator Mrs. Bick was present during this conversation to prove that this conversation took place."

According to Francimore's filing, "during the course of the five years before trial, Mr. Berg and defendant agreed that defendant would testify on his own behalf so the full picture would get out to what actually happened that horrible night ... the defendant believed and trusted him with his life and allowed Mr. Berg to do what he said he would do, however, he did not go up there like he said defending me properly. Defendant knows if Mr. Berg let him testify that the jury would have seen both sides to this horrible situation supporting a different verdict.

Francimore had arranged a $75 drug deal involving Ecstacy, but rather than supply the drug to Nathan Ballard and his older brother, Francimore took their money and got back in his car and Francimore's friend, Elijah "Eli" Watson began shooting at the brothers, striking Nathan, ending his life near the Belmont baseball fields, according to the trial testimony.

Like Francimore, Watson was also convicted of first-degree murder at a separate trial and Watson's sentencing will be in May.

Francimore Trial Recap:

GUILTY: Jury Finds Anthony Francimore Guilty of Felony Murder, Robbery

Anthony Francimore Verdict 'An Example Of Great Teamwork': Jungles