Brown's Chicken Murders Trial Date Set

By Marcus Gilmer in News on Dec 12, 2008 10:10PM

Over 15 years after the crime and 19 months after the conviction of Juan Luna, the first suspect, James Degorski, 35, will finally stand trial for the killings of seven people at a Brown's Chicken establishment in Palatine. Dergoski's trial will begin on April 30, 2009 per the orders of Cook County Judge Vincent Gaughan. The primary issue in Degroski's case revolved around a videotaped confession he gave after the murders, a confession he also said he didn't want to make on camera. Judge Gaughan had originally ruled showing the tape at trial would violate Dergoski's Miranda rights, but an Illinois appellate court ruled the tape admissible earlier this year. Luna's conviction came in May 2007 and he was sentenced to life without parole for his role in the killings; Degroski could still face the death penalty if convicted. If you're looking for a good source of archived material on the case, we recommend the Daily Herald's site. [WBBM, S-T]