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Tuesday, July 7, 2009
Ikegwuonu trial under way

A bench trial for Eagles cornerback Jack Ikegwuonu is under way.

Ikegwuonu was charged with residential burglary and criminal trespassing for allegedly breaking into a DeKalb, Illinois townhouse with his brother and possibly attempting to steal an Xbox.

His brother, Bill, was found not guilty in April.

Jack Ikegwuonu waived his right to a jury trial.

“It is the defendant’s choice whether to waive a jury trial,” prosecutor Julie Trevarthen told the Daily Chronicle. “He is entitled to make that decision, and he decided this morning.”

Per the article, a police officer testified Monday, saying the brothers were questioned separately four times and gave a different version of their stories each time.

Ikegwuonu's attorney told the judge that the brothers were looking for a party at the time of the incident.

Michael Britton, one of the residents at the townhouse, said no party was planned, and the brothers were not invited there.

The Eagles selected Ikegwuonu in the fourth round (131st overall) of the 2008 draft.

The trial is scheduled to resume today at 10 a.m. I'll try to keep my eye on the reports and update the details as necessary.

Posted by Sheil Kapadia @ 8:16 AM  Permalink | 6 comments
6
Comments   
Posted 11:31 AM, 07/07/2009
Tom Crymes
I hope this was just a stupid thing that kids do, because the details make the whole thing seem fishy. Differing stories? Looking for a party? I don't know what happened, but I'm relatively sure the truth is not being told.
Posted 12:21 PM, 07/07/2009
ItalianSausage
Did you know, and this came as a surprise to me, that the police are allowed to lie to you during their investigation? Maybe the police told four versions? It's tough when a prosecutor really wants you nailed. They can take and mold the facts to bring a conviction.
Posted 01:10 PM, 07/07/2009
JimG
Yeah, but it has also been previously reported that the guy who lives at this apartment says the whole thing was a misunderstanding and he tried to have the charges dropped. But apparently, this prosecutor is trying to make a name for himself because it's an athlete. The guy who lived there and owned the Xbox wants it dropped, Ike's brother was acquitted and they are still wasting taxpayer money going after Ike. The legal system has become a bad joke. Usually you waive a jury trial when the evidence is weak or you've got some strong legal arguments on your side and you don't want to risk a jury getting confused, ignoring the evidence or law, or doing something else stupid. The differing stories falls well below the standard to prove that they committed a crime beyond a reasonable doubt, particularly when the owner of the Xbox is going to testify that it was just a misunderstanding and he tried to have the police and prosecutors drop the charges.
Posted 01:52 PM, 07/07/2009
give me liberty or death
once the cops are called, it's in their hands. Does the guy want to drop the charges because Jack is going to pay him off? I don't know but I do know if you don't want somebody charged you don't call the police.
Posted 07:32 PM, 07/08/2009
brs50
I'm with JimG, once his brother was acquitted continuing this case seemed like a bad joke.
Posted 09:11 PM, 07/08/2009
elmeaux_b
as far as I'm concerned, if he can play up to his potential, he's innocent... if not he's guilty!!!hall of fame... hall of shame... jack, it's up to you!!!
About Moving the Chains
Sheil Kapadia is a sports producer for philly.com. His earliest memories as a sports fan include several trips to Veterans Stadium with his dad, most of which turned out disappointing results. He's here to discuss the NFL 365 days a year. E-mail him at skapadia@philly.com or by clicking here

And you can now follow Moving the Chains on Twitter.

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