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Cook County Sheriff via AP
This photo provided by the Cook County Sheriff's Office shows Steven L. Robbins, a convicted murderer police in Indiana. He was mistakenly released from custody in Chicago on Wednesday and rearrested late Friday.
CHICAGO -- A convicted murderer from Indiana who was mistakenly released following a Chicago court appearance was back in custody Saturday after authorities tracked him down about 60 miles away.
Steven L. Robbins, 44, was rearrested late Friday night without incident in Kankakee, south of Chicago in northeastern Illinois, the Cook County Sheriff's Department said in a news release. Although the details of his capture weren't immediately released, officials said they used various leads and interviews with friends and family members at police headquarters to locate him.
The reason Robbins was able to escape in the first place, Illinois officials acknowledged, was because they lost paperwork directing them to return him to Indiana.
Robbins was serving a 60-year sentence for murder in Indiana and was escorted by Cook County sheriff's deputies to Chicago this week for a court appearance in a separate case involving drug and armed violence charges — a case that had actually been dismissed in 2007.
After appearing before two Cook County Circuit Court judges, Robbins was taken to a jail on Chicago's South Side. He was released hours later, instead of being sent back to Indiana to continue his murder sentence. The public was not alerted that he was on the loose for about 24 hours.
'We made mistakes'
Cook County Sheriff Tom Dart on Friday took responsibility for Robbins' release, saying a document showing he should be returned to Indiana disappeared while his deputies were transporting the prisoner, sometime between a Tuesday court appearance and his return to jail after a second court appearance Wednesday. Robbins was released Wednesday evening.
"We're not ducking the fact we dropped the ball. We made mistakes," Dart said. "The public deserves much more. We're going to find out what went wrong here."
But Dart and Cook County State's Attorney Anita Alvarez, both prominent local Democrats, exchanged tense words about who should accept responsibility for having Robbins brought to Chicago from Indiana.
Alvarez said her office had told Dart's office that it didn't need to bring Robbins from Indiana because the drug and armed violence case was closed. But Dart's office proceeded anyway, she said, because of confusion over the outcome of the case and because Robbins demanded to stand trial.
"The Cook County Sherriff's Police, despite the fact that the assistant state's attorney told them that they didn't have to bring him back, they thought it would be better if they did bring him back to get this all cleared up because the guy keeps writing letters demanding trial," Alvarez told reporters.
But Dart said his office sought — and was granted — permission from the state attorney's office to bring Robbins to Chicago. The sheriff showed The Associated Press a copy of the extradition request from September signed by one of Alvarez's prosecutors.
"We can't just go to any state in the country and say 'You know what? We're going to take someone out of your prison and bring him here.' ... They're the ones that signed off on allowing us to go get this guy," Dart said.
Dart also said that because of an antiquated computer system, his office thought an arrest warrant for Robbins in the case was still active, which is why it asked the state attorney's office for permission to extradite Robbins.
"It's our fault but we move 100,000 people a day and it's all done with paper," Dart said.
Before Robbins was captured, federal and local law enforcement officers knocked on doors in Illinois and Indiana on Friday, including those of his friends and relatives, the sheriff's office said. The FBI and U.S. Marshals Service offered a $10,000 reward for information leading to his apprehension.
Robbins, a Gary, Ind., native, was serving a sentence for murder and weapons convictions out of Marion County in Indiana.
Related:
Killer hunted after being mistakenly released from jail
Leave a Comment:
OK, they made some serious mistakes but what about this
Was this also a mistake or an attempt of CYA leaving the public at risk???
They probably did not want to alert the murderer that they were coming to get him.
mmm...good point...possibly...but apparently they did notify the public after 24 hours and sought him aggressively by knocking on doors...i dunno...thinking it's more a case of CYA and in this situation, not a good idea.
What does Obama have to do with this? NOTHING!
Their is no honest criminal.
What if he told the officer that was releasing him that they're making a mistake and they shouldn't bereleasing him yet? Do you think they would take that into consideration at his next parole hearing?
Well, the dude "is" serving a 60 yr sentence however, with our screwed up laws, he'd probably be eligible for paroleafter 15 yrs of good behavior.....
As smart as he's been getting out of prison he's not very bright on staying out..
I want to know more about the incredible disappearing document. If we can figure out how that document disappeared, maybe we can find some of that money that disappeared while bankers were taking care of it.
"Mistakenly" released is NOT the same as escape!
What I don't understand is why would this convicted murderer be writing letters for a new trial for a case that was dismissed(drugs/robbery)? And why he was writing instead of his lawyer(s)? There is surely miscommunication in the DA offices. I always thought the director or head of the DA always sign off on any and all cases? Something is not right in this situation and I hope someone steps up and find out what is up and make changes.
I hope the voters remember this BIG Mistake come election time, I think it maybe would be a good idea to vote that guy out as sheriff; and hope the voters can have a good choice to replace him.
starbuck49
What does Obama have to do with this? NOTHING!
Actually, he's from Chicago and Illinois and his political mindset comes from his relationship that he developed here in this State over the years as a IL senator and community organizer.
Notice the link with Illinois and Chicago with both being Sanctuary's for Illegals. Illinois just passed a law allow them to obtain LEGAL driver licenses. The Cook County board President also stated they won't enforce the laws regarding illegals.
So guess what, when you are diverting resources to handle a huge Illegal issue in Illinois, then the resources which could have been used to upgrade systems to prevent this from happening are a direct relation to O'Bama and his relations with the Democrats from this own State.
Don't fool yourself, Look at ILLinois....this is the poster child for his Immigration flatform and the outcomes of such.
A lot of buck passing here. They state that mistakes were made and then start in with the "buts". It is our "antiquated" computer system. It was Alvarez's mistake for bringing him here; no it was Dart's mistake. We move 100,000 people a day and it's all done with paper. They should just come out and state, "We are incompetent" and let it go at that.
How stupid is this guy? Loose for all that time and he's still in Illinois when they find him. Would anybody with a brain still be nearby?
Why do they even bother with extradition when they can do this by phone or why bother at all, really the guy is doing 60 years and they transport him to Chicago for some petty case and then let him go, what was it a unpaid parking ticket, talk about incompetent, but then it was Chicago wasn't it, the city that models itself after the capital of Uganda with a Hispanic twist. when are we going to give that rat hole to Canada. the Canadians like Subversive socialist shi+ holes. but now I'm curious about his murder conviction they found him 60 miles away from the s#it magnet of the US why wasn't he pulled into the heart of the slum where he could have remained invisible and never been found, he was heading away that says something. don't tell me even murderers dislike Chicago.
Exactly. I agree! Why would this convicted murderer be writing letters for a new trial for a case that was dismissed(drugs/robbery)?
Let me see if I have this right. Two Chicago offices arguing over if the prisoner should be granted his wish to stand trial??? One office saying the case was closed, the other office saying that never heard or knew it was closed. LOL
""Alvarez said her office had told Dart's office that it didn't need to bring Robbins from Indiana because the drug and armed violence case was closed. But Dart's office proceeded anyway, she said, because of confusion over the outcome of the case and because Robbins demanded to stand trial.""
""Dart also said that because of an antiquated computer system, his office thought an arrest warrant for Robbins in the case was still active.""
So... the Sheriff's dept didn't believe the States Attorney's office that the case was closed, because it wasn't in the antiquated computer system. LOL
Makes you wonder how many other prisoners requested new trials on closed cases and are out there walking free. If this guy were not a murderer, would we even have found out at all??
What I cannot figure out is,even if they made a mistake and released him,what clothes was he wearing? If the guy was brought to stand trial while being incarcerated already for 60yrs he'd be wearing Indiana state issued prison dud's. Wouldn't the clerk realize there was something wrong when the Con didn't have street clothes? Or did they just cut him loose wearing State Of Indiana Prison issue's walking down the street? Says alot about the nieghborhood around 26th & California,too! No one noticed him or gave a $hit.
He probably ran down the street yelling i'm free at last,i'm free at last. Thanks to those dumb ass's in there i'm free at last.
I knew they would get him again fast. Good job. Hopefully he didn't do anything bad to anyone, while out.
For Robbins to realize the Sheriff's error and roll with it to the point of escape shows how smart he is. With the head start he had, I bet he would have got a lot further had it been June instead of February.
I'm glad they were able to get him quickly. When friends and family members are quick to work with the police, it really shows what a threat the guy must be.
Screw the paperwork. Since the Illinois officials have proven that they cannot follow instructions (maybe they cannot read court orders in English), then any state sending convicted violent felons to Illinois for temporary custody , hearings, trials, etc. should just tattoo the message on the convicts' foreheads.
"Return this @!$%# to Indiana Dept. of Corrections when hearing is completed."
The tat could just be left in place until the original sentence in IN is nearly finished - then the prison doctor could let rip with the laser to remove the tattoo (as well as possible for a prison doctor.) If it does not come off too well, a nice smiley face could be tattooed through it, with a "Have a Nice Day" logo.
hee,hee
the guy ain't to sharp...i would have been out of there and gone...like nobody business..it would have taken them a long time to find me...he's probably one of them baby daddy type's...can't do much for himself...just a burden on every body...glad he gets to go back to the pen and be with his baby daddy buds...
Got to agree, bob. It's pretty sad when you're too stupid to run!
Please explain where would you go if you walked out of prison with no money in your pockets? You have no car, probably no jacket or coat when it is 1 degree on that day, and by that evening you will be starving. The only people you know are family and friends in your old town, who the authorities all know, and these are the only ones who can give you food and shelter.
You seem to think this guy is going to go hang out in Florida for the rest of his life, when he has absolutely no way to get there without money, and can't get a job even if he were able to do it. Every escaped or wanted person is caught by staking out his family. It's the first place they go.
Run hell if he camped out in Chicago they never would have found him, that's the last place they look for criminals they'reafraid they might find some, besides its Obamas poster city, the model for the new America the pride of the Democratic party. a sample for Obamas new deal by 2016 the whole nation will resemble Chicago if you cant fix it screw everything else up so its not so noticeable. its called moving forward and evolving.
BP the grape -
EXACTLY. When I first saw the headline, I thought HOW ON EARTH DID HE LET HIMSELF GET CAUGHT???
(Not that I didn't think he should be in jail; I was just thinking of how happy he must have been when he was released. 60 years is a long time...) I figured he'd do EVERYTHING POSSIBLE to make sure he didn't return.
Then I realized he had no money and therefore he couldn't do ANYTHING except go to family. I didn't even consider how cold it is right now.
Yeah, getting a free pass is harder than it seems.
People who behave like that (murder) have probably crapped on their friends and family in the past. When he contacted them for help, it is entirely possible that they were afraid of him, but not too eager to risk arrest while harboring him. They would not advertise it, but there are anonymous ways to let the US Marshals know where he could be found.
It is definitely good to see this loser back where he belongs!
He belongs in a hole. They had an opportunity to claim that he resisted being taken back alive.
If he were white they probably could get away with that claim...
This guy is back where he belongs - But those who released him are still free!
if they would have executed him because he is an inhuman murderer we the public would never had to worry that our officials in charge were blooming idiots
the person that released him should serve some prison time
and im sure that would be a judge
stop worring about ticket judges and their jail time
start worring about these high level judges who do idiotic things
i say jail or fire them
200 thousand a year is way to much money for an idiot
Easy fix, change max security prison rules and regs. Instead of searches to find shanks, weapons, etc...
Accidentally place many more of them in every cell. Have all the guards take a day off and have the Shank Olympics, hell televise it and put it on pay perview to pay to house the survivors.
The same people that don't like your idea, are the same people who watched the wire and told everybody how great the show was. They are idiots who have a hard time with real life criminals and the threat they really are.
NISUS: Good. Out of the door. Line on the left. One cross each. Next. Crucifixion?
MR. CHEEKY: Ah, no. Freedom.
JAILER: Hmm?
NISUS: What?
MR. CHEEKY: Eh, freedom for me. They said I hadn't done anything, so I could go free and live on an island somewhere.
NISUS: Oh. Oh, well, that's jolly good. Well, off you go, then.
This brilliant Cook county sheriff, Tom Dart, who can't even return an extradited murderer to Indiana without letting him go free is now pressuring the Illinois legislature to pass a law to allow the police to enter people's homes to see if they have any illegal guns. I wonder how long it will be if this law gets passed before the cops make a mistake and enter the home of a law abiding citizen and end up killing him - by mistake.
Eddie: Add this, Dart is also interested in a couple of drones. Sounds like a case for the mental health system.
Why try to bring the gun issue into this
You must be pro NRA or some anti government homegrown terrorist
"Anti government"?? Don't know much about the 2 scum jailbird politicians there, do you?? One serving 14 years and one just got out of prison after serving 5 years for corruption.. Only a fool would trust the government!!!
Dart just another Democratic communist trying to take away from the Law Abiding Citizen!
The sad part is that innocent people have been killed by cops going to the wrong house.
In Chicago the only laws they enforce are the ones that Emanuel instructs them to enforce, if Dart wants to invade peoples homes its because Emanuel wants it, illegals are OK so are some gangs, crooked politicians are more then acceptable, but a law abiding citizen that's questionable there must be something wrong they must be hiding something, when the government starts to selectively enforce laws, allowing some to be passed over then you can bet they are no longer working for you. these people work harder for illegal trespassers then they do for their citizens, its a Democrat thing , America is being consumed. our Democrat politicians are selling us out. whats wrong with America for Americans, why do we allow illegal aliens to run our country, we even pay to educate foreigners when citizens can't afford it, we give them health care and in turn they continue to flow over our borders and we continue to pay and they think they have rights and they make demands and the Democrats give in to them and agree that they do have rights and work for them while the citizen picks up the tab. its BS. how many illegals in America on assistance? thanks Democrats!
When a dangerous violent felon is mistakenly released, the jailer, clerk, judge, bailiff, marshal, deputy, or whoever was responsible for the error should be locked in a cell until recapture. If the responsible person cannot be determined within 24 hours (the blue line), then the top dog should go into custody in the stead of the criminal (in this case Tom Dart.)
What do you expect from Crook County?
So why hasn't this moron been fired? Oh, yeah, I forgot this is Chicago - biggest sh!t-hole in the country.
So I guess where you live is such a great place
But for a backwoods moron a trailer is ok
pooch--no doubt Chicago is the biggest urban @!$%#hole in the country today. Poor Illinois, the whole state is being dragged down by the city that is crime filled, misgoverned, full of graft and corruption, and the murder capital of the US. And in debt to the point that it dragged down Illinois' credit rating to the lowest in the country.
Boys and girls I think that "CPD95" might = Chicago Police Department graduate of 1995....that, could explain his/her ignorance.
I hold all of Illinois responsible for the state of Chicago, they always vote in corrupt Democrats its their own doing, they will never learn. who runs the state the Governor or the Mayor of Chicago? Ill be willing to bet that Emanuel tells the Governor what to do. we should throw Illinois out of the union let them be their own Subversive communist state then we wont need to change the flag when Porto Rico joins the union.
If justice had been served he would have been executed for the 1st murder he was convicted of and would no longer be a danger to the public. Thank you lawyers of America for making our world a more dangerous place for your personal enrichment.
Notice the Idiot who did this article pointed out that the people responsible are prominent local democrats......... as if any republican has done something for America in the past 30 years.... Go to school, pad your pockets, screw the country, retire at 45, God bless America.....
Paul Bearer-4218306--Exactly.
@Paul, simply put...Chicago's been run by Democrats for over 50 years. So while you'll try to deflect blame, the fact is, look at how Chicago, Cook county and IL in general has been run by the Democrats.
Look at the elections, Illinois is a DEMOCRATIC STATE and thus, the blame goes to those running the show.
PS, I'm a democrat myself and hate what the party has become. We're no better than the Republicans.
Yes Paul Illinois is a Democrat state and it shows.
I agree with you Guest,neither party lives up to the ideals they talk about come election time.
However hardly anyone votes for third party canidates.
Please stop leaving comment and just maybe, just maybe they shut this site down.
Hey guys I don't think I'm supposed to be getting out.
Cops; Shut up smart ass and just do what we say.
OK
He is not a white psycho-killer so he probably wasn't a threat to anyone. He was easily recaptured.
Congrats! You are the first ass hat to inject racism into the forum.
Takenaka is baiting for a gun issue, race has little to do with it.
That's right takenaka,according to statistics he was only a threat to other black males.
I'm surprised they were so quick to take him back,he could be out takin' care of "bidness" and reducing the load on the penal system.
This murderer would have received a pardon if he was in a Louisiana jail by Barbour.
The only problem with your statement,Barbour was Govenor of Mississippi.
Louisiana, Mississippi, they're all the same down there.
And you're all the same "up there",which is OK as long as you stay "up there".
I wouldn't want to live in a welfare state.
Well in my eyes this guy should have been released within a year. They should have released him to a undertaker. Just for poo and giggles. How many of you that dont like capital punishment, also want to ban most guns? With that being said. You would think Christian faiths would be demanding that he would be sent off to meet his maker. There is a little ol scripture that says. An eye for an eye a tooth for a tooth.
Ah, but that's in the Old Testament and they want to follow the Nre Testament.
Most Christians have both Testaments in their Bibles.
Prison should be a resocialization and educational facility, not a place prisoners gather and take up tax payer dollars.
Teach them crafts, use psychology to render them no longer a danger to society, and have them be productive members of society.
They can then serve as role models and lure at risk youth in their neighborhoods away from the same habits that lead to prison.
Or we can spend huge amounts of our tax money annually for prison up keep and no return at all.
Paisley
I have one comment for you
L.O.L.
Ladydi1990: Actually I think Paisley has a good point. I think rehabilitation is in order for the ones that can be rehabilitated. Let's face it, a lot of these people commit certain crimes, theft for instance, because they have no marketable skills. Some probably can't read. Crime is a social problem in this country and by teaching them skills we hopefully will lower the rate of recidivism.
They already do all kinds of things for them while they are in prison. The prisoners take classes either GED or colleage classes, they have a library.
@ paisley-- Seriously, you want to teach a murderer crafts? Do you realize how that sounds when you say it? Yeah, can see it now, all weaving baskets in the back room.
Paisley
Firstly prison is a place to protect society, and secondly prison is a place for penance. Don't coddle psychopaths.
Good idea. Rehabilitate them, convince them that they can be an asset to society, give them a new set of cheap clothes and a cardboard suitcase, and release them through a chipper/shredder.
I wonder? is crime a social problem, or a mental problem, I think its a little of each, but when it comes to murder then rehabilitation is a waste of time, so is warehousing.
Can Chicago get anymore dysfunctional??
Yes they can keep voting Democrat, its a constant down hill run.
prison should be a place you never want to go to. instead its a place most criminals have no problems wanting to go back to.
For most of them it's like their second neighborhood,half their friends are in there at the same time.
This message is for the dumb ass Commenter Mexi obama you are quite simply a stupid racist
You are too lazy to do the work that the Mexicans do in this country
I'm sure your stupid ass eats fruit, vegetables, and your city has decent landscaping(that's assuming you live in a big city and not in a shack somewhere)
These jobs are BENEATH white people, they aren't going to go in the fields and pick anything
Stop using the President of the Unite States name for your racist rants you low life keyboard coward
CPD95
You are 'quite simply a stupid racist' too with the comment of yours 'These jobs are BENEATH white people, they aren't going to go in the fields and pick anything.'
I know many 'white, black and mexicans' who have picked many fruits and vegetables. I know many of all groups who have cleaned houses for other people, baby sat for others children, done work that can be called degrading by some people.
Instead of slamming groups try saying something positive about a group and leave the bigotry out.
CPD95 is an idiot [ and a racist]. must be from the Chicago Police Dept
Since we've veered off topic anyway, CPD95 you obviously have no concept of the extent of the illegal immigration problem. Are you really so uninformed that you think they all come here to pick crops and do landscape work? They have swamped the construction trades and manufacturing with cheap labor and driven down wages for everyone. Even landscape work used to be done by Anericans, until the illegals drove the price down so far that Americans can't make a living doing it any more!
CPD95: When you stop using the only PC slurs allowed on this computerized rag and stop strereotyping everyone who dissagrees with you as a trailer park dweller you might have some relevance.
Until then I consider you a typical left wing hypocritical troll.
After reading the story it's hard to tell which officials are Dumb, Dumber and Dumbest! It's bad enough for The Parole Board to let criminals out so they can commit more crimes, but letting out a murderer by mistake, Come on Man!
Sheriff Tom Dart should resign!! Robbins was on his way to see former Gov. George Ryan in Kankakee IL Ryan too just got out of jail!!!! If Got was going to give Illinois an enema he would stick the nozzle in Kankakee!! Illinois the most corrupt State in the Country!!
In a bureaucracy this happens.
Another black person!?!?!?!? What!?!?!?!?! Say it ain't so! There are more blacks in prisons than in colleges and Universities. And blacks are the minority.
They won't be the minority very much longer. They have access to every government entitlement ever created. I have never seen a race given so many advantages and still can't make it.
I really think we should put these people in charge of our health care.
LOL!
Just a matter of interest: Christians do not follow the "eye for an eye" dogma, because Jesus specifically told us not to, in Matt.5: 38. "You have heard it said, an eye for an eye, and a tooth for a tooth, but I say to you..." There follows ten verses describing our obligations to our enemies, none of which involves eyes or teeth.
Sane people do not try to live their lives by figuratively following the Scripture. For every point made in the Good Book, the very next page will contradict that point.
Bible, or no Bible, there will always be good and bad people in the world. Deal with it.
Now, Praise the Lord and pass the ammo.