Conviction Reversed For Gymnastics Coach Accused of Abuse
AURORA, Ill. (CBS 2) -- An appellate court has reversed the conviction of former gymnastics coach Michael Cardamone and ordered a new trial, his attorney said Friday.
Cardamone was sentenced to 20 years in prison in 2005 for fondling seven girls, ages 7 to 12, at his mother's Aurora gymnasium, the American Institute of Gymnastics. He was convicted of nine counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse.
Prosecutors accused Cardamone of inappropriately touching the girls during stretching exercises and in a private room at the institute, where he coached for nine years.
His family has maintained he is innocent.
Cardamone's attorney Kathleen Zellner said the conviction was reversed by the Appellate Court for the Second District of Illinois on Friday morning.
DuPage State's Attorney Joe Birkett said he is disappointed with the court's decision and will appeal to the Illinois Supreme Court. e
"Judge Michael Burke, the trial judge in this case, gave both sides a very fair trial," Birkett said in a statement. "I am hopeful that the Illinois Supreme Court will take this case and re-instate these convictions so that these children will not have to be put through another trial."
Copyright MMVIII, CBS Broadcasting, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
Family of Drowned Boy Makes Plea to City The family five-year-old Ronald Evans, Jr, who drowned in Jackson Park Harbor Thursday night, is appealing to city and Park District officials not to let it happen again.
Flooding Affects Homeless Pets The massive flooding in the Midwest not only destroyed homes and crops, it left a lot of animals homeless, many are up for adoption at PAWS Chicago. WBBM's Mary Francis Bragiel reports.
Drive 55 . . . And Save Gas? As Chicago-area drivers drive off on holiday celebrations, there are plenty of opinions about going back to a national top speed limit of 55 miles per hour. Virginia Senator John Warner is proposing a return to the speed limit Congress passed in the1974 energy crisis, to cut down on fuel usage. WBBM's Dave Berner has the story.
Con Man Nabbed The gig is up for a Milwaukee-area man whose acting skills saved him a lot of money. WBBM's Jackie Swike reports.
Family of Drowned Boy Makes Plea to City After hearing that the family did not know how they would pay for the boy's funeral...Funeral Director Spencer Leak Jr. approached NewsRadio 780 today and said he would pay for it
Road America Race Track
The fastest permanent road racing facility in the world located in Elkhart Lake, Wisconsin.
Sponsored Links:
WBBM-AM 780 has been the consistent all news radio voice in Chicagoland for over 35 years and is now streaming online for free. Listen online to Chicago news as it happens around the clock, along with Chicago traffic, Chicago weather, Chicago sports and Chicago business. Subscribe to WBBM's free podcasts for additional Chicago business and Chicago community reports and listen to Chicago news on demand. WBBM news radio is also the home for Chicago Bears, Chicago Auto Show and Chicago Air & Water Show. www.wbbm780.com
