Dennis York
LAWRENCE CO.—Circuit court records are showing this morning that an OP (order of protection) case, most likely a civil no-contact order, has been issued in the case of the Lawrence County prosecutor allegedly assaulted by a county deputy.
A hearing was held yesterday, April 2, 2013, in Lawrence County circuit court over the matter evolving from the alleged assault, which occurred a week ago at the office of Lawrence County State’s Attorney Chris Quick. In this, eyewitnesses told Disclosure, a heated argument erupted between Quick and Lawrence County deputy Dennis York after York expressed that he had a problem with the way Quick handled York’s absence from a preliminary hearing the day before. The matter grew so explosive that York threatened to have Quick arrested for attempting to place a hand on the deputy’s shoulder to usher him out the door, and Quick threatened to have York arrested for his conduct, which was inarguably disorderly according to the many people who witnessed it.
Online records show that White County resident Judge T. Scott Webb was the judge on hand to hear the information supplied by Quick for the no-contact order, an unusual circumstance and probably prompted by the fact that most judges in and around Lawrence County have worked in court with both Quick and York, creating a conflict in hearing the case. Webb is a new judge and prior to that, White County prosecutor, so he wouldn’t have had any doings with either plaintiff or defendant.
Disclosure has confirmed with Lawrence County officials that yesterday after the issuance of the OP, members of the Lawrence County sheriff’s department traveled to York’s residence and collected his weapons, Firearm Owner’s ID card and police credentials. This, they explained, isn’t a removal of his police certification; but is merely anything identifying him as an officer of the law in the state of Illinois, until the whole thing can be sorted out. York remains on administrative leave while the situation is being investigated by the Illinois State Police.
The OP issued yesterday was done so on an emergency (temporary) basis. A plenary (permanent/two-year) hearing is set for April 15 at 1:30 p.m. We are traveling to Lawrence tomorrow to view the paperwork and will have more in the upcoming print version, on stands April 14-15; or you can get an online membership and receive your print version news right here on your own computer the day before, April 13…and will likely be in court April 15 to listen to the petition for the plenary OP. Be watching right here on the site for updates.