Joliet Township trustee still seeking state panel hearing on clemency petition

A Joliet Township trustee who was found ineligible to hold elected office because of his felony convictions is still waiting for a state panel to hold a clemency hearing on a petition that could allow him to continue serving as trustee.

The Illinois Prisoner Review Board was scheduled to have a hearing on Tuesday for Karl Ferrell’s petition for a restoration of rights.

However, all clemency hearings between Monday and Thursday were postponed “due to unforeseen circumstances,” according to the prisoner review board’s website. The next set of hearings has been scheduled for Oct. 4 through Oct. 6 in Chicago.

Ferrell has been deemed ineligible to hold township office on June 24 by Will County Judge John Anderson.

Anderson ruled Ferrell has multiple felony convictions, and the township code clearly states a person is not eligible for office if they’ve been convicted of a felony at the time they take the oath of office.

Ferrell’s attorney, John Partelow, said the prisoner review board has allowed the option of a private hearing for clemency petitions, which he plans to pursue.

“We think it’s the quickest way we can get [the hearing],” Partelow said.

On Friday, he said he’s not received a date yet for the hearing.

Partelow said the petition to the prisoner review board will ask them to recommend to Gov. JB Pritzker to give Ferrell a restoration of rights.

“We’re asking that our rights be restored now that we’ve served our time and done everything we’re supposed to with the felony convictions,” Partelow said.

If Pritzker grants the request, Partelow said he believes it will render the case against Ferrell moot. The case was initiated by the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office after they discovered Ferrell’s past convictions for drug and handgun possession.

As it stands now, Ferrell’s position on the board will become officially vacant on July 25. While Anderson had ruled Ferrell was ineligible for office, he allowed for a stay on his ruling until that day to allow Ferrell to file an appeal.

Partelow said he will ask the Third District Appellate Court to extend the stay.

On July 5, Anderson denied Partelow’s motion to reconsider his June 24 ruling.

In the latter ruling, Anderson refused to grant Partelow’s defense that attacked the constitutionality of the township code without proper notice to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.

Partelow’s motion argued proper notice was already met with the state’s attorney’s involvement in the case. His motion also said his June 27 notice to the attorney general, while late, could still be considered in a new ruling.

Anderson’s July 5 ruling said “last minute effort at compliance is not proper grounds for a motion to reconsider.”