For Will County Judge, Jerk Chicken Comes With Side of Crow

By Chuck Sudo in Food on Oct 29, 2009 7:20PM

Today's exercise in plausible deniability comes courtesy of Will County Associate Judge Robert Livas. Last year Livas sentenced 24-year-old Darrius Logan to 100 hours of community service stemming from misdemeanor battery and criminal trespass charges in Joliet. In August Logan told Livas he completed the terms of his sentencing by working 100 unpaid hours at Uncle Joe's Jerk Chicken — their three locations at 8211 S. Cottage Grove, 8601 S. Stony Island and 10210 S. Vincennes, for those interested.

Livas told Logan to provide proof he completed the community service in two months time. Or to bring in enough jerk chicken to feed the courtroom in lieu of proof:

According to a transcript of the electronically recorded Aug. 4 hearing, Livas had said, "If you walk in with enough chicken to feed everybody, I'll accept these community service hours. If you don't, I'm not taking any of them."

"Does that come with slaw?" the judge later asked, according to the transcript.

"No," Logan replied. "It's just -- it's barbecue chicken, actually."

"That's great stuff," Livas said, later adding, "If you walk around there and feed everybody, it's going to be OK."

Logan returned to court Oct. 6 with a tray of jerk chicken, which he said set him out $50. Contacted by the tribune, Livas said "A defendant took something I said as a joke literally. It forced me to keep my word and accept his original (community service) letter. I give him credit -- he made me eat my words." Chief judge of the 12th Judicial Circuit Gerald Kinney isn't happy Livas is a man of his word. He's referred the incident to review. Bet that was the best $50 Logan ever spent. Meanwhile, Livas could be feeling the heat like that beer can chicken in the photo.