Proceedings could wrap up by end of the week
A jury of five men and seven women are set to decide the fate of a 67-year-old Mexican national accused of sexually abusing children.
Jury selection finished Monday and proceedings started Tuesday in the 451st state District Court under visiting Judge Kaycee Jones.
According to court records, the case against Adrian Santillian stems from an outcry of sexual abuse made by a minor under age 14 to the Kendall County Sheriff’s Office.
Santillian March 17 was charged with indecency with a child and aggravated sexual assault of a child, both felonies. Investigators said the victims are two young girls.
If convicted, prosecutors are pushing for a 25-year sentence or life in prison with no possibility of parole, though rehabilitation could also be on the table, the court heard.
Andrew Fields is prosecuting the case; public defenders Xoe Howard and Miguel Cerrano represent the defendant.
The trial is expected to run through Friday.
The prosecution and defense spent most of Monday winnowing down a pool of 95 potential jurors to 12 to sit in judgment during the trial.
Jurors were asked sensitive questions, including whether any had ever been sexually abused. About half raised their hands.
Fields also gave the jury pool the option to answer questions privately.
“Strong feelings are OK,” he said. “We will be as delicate as we can.”
The Kendall County assistant district attorney then asked the jury pool if they would accept the eyewitness testimony of a child as the only source of evidence.
A handful of jurors indicated they would want more proof, but one juror — a former health care worker — replied eyewitness testimony would be enough, because DNA evidence often washes away.
Some potential jurors during questioning said 25 years behind bars was not enough, while others suggested both rehabilitation and a prison sentence would be the ideal answer.
Others said punishment needed to be more severe.
“If someone touched my grandkids, I would want to see them hung,” one juror said.
When defense attorneys got their turn to question potential jurors, Cerrano asked whether Santillian’s immigration status would be held against him.
Several jurors raised their hands, which the attorney said was not unexpected given immigration had become a polarizing topic.
Cerrano then asked prospective jurors their opinion if Santillian did not take the stand in his own defense.
Several indicated they did, and one said not testifying gave the impression there was something to hide.
“If someone touched my grandkids, I would want to see them hung.”
— potential juror
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