Subject: press release - Lake County Coroner

Sent: Thursday, February 23, 2012 9:52:00 AM

Subject: press release

Yesterdays press conference in Waukegan, Il by Darrin Hanna's attorneys provides striking evidence of conflicts of interest with this case and the Coroner's Office of Lake County, Il. This office has been operating as an extension of law enforcement and as such presents conflicts of interest.

The current coroner is a former policeman and Chief of police of the city of Waukegan. This former law enforcement officer is now investigating an alleged beating and death at the hands of the North Chicago, Ill police officers. This is a conflict of interest. At the same time he is endorsed for coroner by the mayor of North Chicago, Mr. Rockingham! Another conflict of interest. To make matters even worse, Coroner Yancey, has been named in a civil suit filed in federal court in Oct, 2011, for "conspiring to frame, James Edwards, of murder by physically and psychologically torturing him into making false confessions" ( see News Sun article "Convicted murderer sues Waukegan cops who 'conspired to frame' him", last modified: 11-22-11. Case still pending in Lake County judicial circuit) Yet another conflict of interest.

The coroner's office clearly should and must be nonpolitical and neutral in all of its investigations. At the same time this office must affirm a cordial and collegial, but impartial, relationship with the other death investigation organizations. But it must always remain independent and reveal not even a hint of any conflicts of interest as seen in this case.