Were You Wrongfully Ticketed, Criminally Charged, or Mistreated by Officer James G. Page in Prairie Grove, IL or Bull Valley, IL?
As discussed below, Attorney Eric D. Puryear and Puryear Law P.C. have first-hand experience dealing with improper ticketing and other misconduct on the part of the Village of Prairie Grove, Illinois. Based upon what we have seen, we believe that the improper action taken against Attorney Eric D. Puryear by Officer James G. Page and the Village of Prairie Grove, IL are not likely isolated incidents. Instead, we believe they are part of a pattern, through which Prairie Grove mistreats individuals, and does so with impunity as the majority of those individuals do not have the ability or desire to properly challenge matters in court.
At Puryear Law P.C. we have decided to handle Prairie Grove, IL matters (and Bull Valley, IL matters involving Officer James G. Page) on a pro bono (free) basis, in situations where a person has been wrongfully ticketed, charged, or had their civil rights violated. We cannot handle every case for free, and therefore select the cases where we believe our time is best spent to seek justice. Should your case be selected, Puryear Law P.C. will represent you without charging you legal fees for our services.
In order to request that Puryear Law review your case, please send an email to PG@PuryearLaw.com with the following information:
1. Your name.
2. Phone number at which we can reach you to further discuss the case.
3. Your ticket number and/or court case number.
4. A brief summary of what happened.
5. A picture of your traffic ticket (if you were issued a ticket).
About Attorney Eric D. Puryear
My name is Eric D. Puryear, and I am an Attorney at Law who is licensed in the states of Illinois and Iowa. I am the founder of Puryear Law P.C., which is a law firm based in Davenport, Iowa (about 150 miles west of Chicago, right on the Illinois and Iowa border). Together with my three associate attorneys, our paralegals, and other support staff, we represent clients in Illinois and Iowa in a variety of legal matters, including criminal defense. I enjoy the practice of law, and my hobbies include aviation, firearms (I'm an NRA instructor and avid firearms enthusiast), and SCUBA diving.
Attorney Eric D. Puryear's Issues with Prairie Grove, IL and Officer James G. Page
In October 2012, my wife, our daughter, and I flew from Iowa to McHenry, IL, in order to attend a birthday party and spend time with my wife's family. As we were headed back to the airport, we drove through Prairie Grove, IL. I was seated in the front passenger seat of my brother-in-law's pickup truck, which he was driving. My wife was seated behind me, and our daughter was in a car seat behind my brother-in-law. A Prairie Grove, Illinois Police Officer named James G. Page, Badge Number 8227, stopped the vehicle and claimed that he saw me not wearing my seatbelt. I was most certainly wearing my seatbelt, as I always do when in a vehicle (I'm a very safety-conscious person). After running my ID, Officer Page returned it to me and began walking back to his vehicle, ending the traffic stop. I politely asked Officer Page for his name and badge number, as I wished to address this improper stop with the Village of Prairie Grove. In response, Officer Page demanded my ID again, stated that he would write me a ticket with his name and badge number written on that ticket, and proceeded to do exactly that. Myself, my wife, and my brother-in-law all observed that I was wearing my seatbelt throughout the trip in my brother-in-law's truck.
Through Freedom of Information Act requests, I eventually obtained video from Officer Page's squad car, which revealed that he pulled over several Ford pickup trucks in a row, as if he were looking for someone in particular and using pretextual reasons like a supposed missing seatbelt as an excuse for the traffic stops. I say that I "eventually" obtained that video, as the Village of Prairie Grove initially tried to say that it was unavailable due to an "error," and it took my submission of multiple Freedom of Information Act requests to finally obtain that video. In court and under oath, Officer Page later admitted that he wrote me the ticket as retaliation for my request for his name and badge number.
It would have been economically beneficial for me to just to pay the fine - but it would not have been truthful for me to admit fault for not wearing a seatbelt when I knew that I was wearing my seatbelt. So, I am determined to fight that and any other injustices committed by Prairie Grove and Officer Page - despite the costs.
Facebook Page
Officer James Page has attempted to have Facebook remove the Prairie Grove Justice Facebook page that I created. This is one of many attempts that Officer Page has made to block my right to free speech and to attempt to stop my firm from providing free legal representation to those who he has wrongfully stopped. As expected, Facebook denied Officer Page's meritless request.More information, including the emails between Officer Page and Facebook, can be seen here: http://www.pgjustice.com/facebook.html
News
On January 30, 2013 I received an email from Sarah Sutschek, who is a reporter with the Northwest Herald (a McHenry County, IL newspaper). Ms. Sutschek wanted to ask me questions for an article she was writing, and I agreed to answer her questions by email.She published an article which excluded many of her questions and my answers. So, I am publishing her questions and my answers - in their entirety – here: http://www.pgjustice.com/news.html
Transcript
On January 16, 2013 the court heard testimony on pending Motions in the case of the seatbelt ticket that Prairie Grove Police Officer James G. Page wrongfully issued to me. Those who testified included myself, my wife, my brother-in-law, and Officer James G. Page. Immediately after the hearing, I ordered the transcript, and on February 15, 2013 the court reporter completed it and emailed it to my office. Particularly relevant passages from that transcript, as well as the entire transcript, can be seen here: http://www.pgjustice.com/transcript.html
Intimidation
Officer James Page attempted to have me prosecuted for "witness intimidation." In his complaint, Officer Page falsely accused me of sending someone to his house, and contradicts the sworn testimony given in court. The McHenry County State's Attorney's Office declined to file any charges, as expected given the utter lack of a crime on my part.
More information, including a copy of the the frivolous complaint that Officer Page submitted to try and have me prosecuted for witness intimidation can be seen here: http://www.pgjustice.com/intimidation.html
Workplace Retaliation
We have received information that Officer James Page has appeared, in uniform and driving a Prairie Grove police vehicle, at the workplace of a person who posted a comment on this Facebook page supporting our efforts to seek justice. We were told that Officer Page threatened that individual with prosecution and a lawsuit based upon that person's Facebook comment, and did so in front of the person's coworkers. More information can be seen here: http://www.pgjustice.com/retaliation.html
Seatbelt Trial Verdict
On September 30th and October 1st, 2013, I, along with my counsel and witnesses, appeared for a jury trial in the case involving the seatbelt ticket that Officer James Page wrongfully issued to me. In pretrial motions the court denied us the ability to present much of the testimony and evidence we hoped to put forth. Because the allegations involved an ordinance violation, the Village's burden of proof was a preponderance of the evidence, rather than the standard in criminal cases (beyond a reasonable doubt). Having been unable to hear all the evidence and applying this lower standard, the jury returned what we all believe is an unjust verdict. My witnesses and I know that I was wearing my seatbelt, and this verdict does not change that fact. Our legal system is not perfect, that is why we have appellate courts. We remain, of course, as committed as ever to combatting civil rights violations like this. We will file the appropriate post-trial motions and continue to seek justice in this and other cases.
[Note: There are many more details; however this is intended as just a basic summary for those visiting this website.]
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