Petition Seeks Trial in Kelli O'Laughlin Case

An online petition is asking that the judge presiding over the Kelli O'Laughlin murder case put a stop to defendant John L. Wilson's "courtroom antics" and move the two-year-old case to trial soon.

"This petition requests that, as presiding judge on this case, you accept no more irrelevant motions or excuses from the defense that would further delay proceeding to trial," reads the introduction to the Change.org petition meant for Cook County Judge John J. Hynes. "Justice and the rights of the victim must be realized in a more expeditious manner."

As of Thursday morning at 10:35 a.m., the petition had gathered 1,476 online signatures. It was started by Mimi Lampert of La Grange Park.

"We strongly encourage you to cease to allow Wilson's or his defense team's courtroom antics and to move this case to trial so justice may be served," the intro reads. "Kelli's family awaits justice and peace."

See the petition here.

Hearings in the case have been held since November 2011, just after Wilson was charged with stabbing O'Laughlin to death after the 14-year-old Lyons Township freshman walked in on him burglarizing her family's Indian Head Park home.

A major factor in the case's delays has been Wilson's indecisiveness on legal representation. He has changed his mind a number of times on who will serve as his defense counsel, and even represented himself for a period.

At an Oct. 18 hearing, Wilson asked that he be represented by Michelle Gonzalez and John Paul Carroll, his original attorneys in the case, and Hynes allowed the change.

Wilson was most recently in court Tuesday, and the next hearing was set for Jan. 10, meaning the O'Laughlin saga will enter its fourth calendar year. 

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