Glendale Heights president wants to represent self in criminal case

Glendale Heights Village President Chodri Khokhar wants to represent himself on charges he filed a false police report.

Attorney Scott Marquardt was allowed to quit Wednesday after telling Judge Daniel Guerin there was “fundamental disagreement about how to proceed” between him and Khokhar.

Khokhar told Guerin he wanted to represent himself, but Guerin urged him to consider hiring another attorney. Khokhar is due back in court on Oct. 30.

Khokhar is charged with felony disorderly conduct. He is accused of falsely reporting to police that a village trustee, Mohammad Siddiqi, had threatened to bite Khokhar.

Ex-secretary sues Glendale Heights village president

During previous court dates, Marquardt told the judge that he and prosecutors were working on a plea agreement.

On Wednesday, Khokhar told Guerin that the case is based on corruption, discrimination and bias.

After the hearing, Khokhar said, “If I plead guilty, it is against my conscience.”

Glendale Heights board asks village president to resign in wake of criminal charges

He maintains the allegations are untrue. He also said that other village officials and a political rival have filed false police reports about him, but police and prosecutors have not filed charges against them.

He called several officials corrupt and said they are biased against him and other village residents because of their ethnicities.

Glendale Heights village president charged with filing false police reports

Khokhar said he is running for re-election. “I am not that guy who will give up. Why should I plead guilty?” he said.

He is also facing a misdemeanor charge of battery, in which he is accused of pushing Glendale Heights Police Chief George Pappas.

Khokhar, 68, said he was an attorney when he lived in Pakistan and also studied at John Marshall Law School in Chicago.

https://www.dailyherald.com/20241002/crime/glendale-heights-president-wants-to-represent-self-in-criminal-case/