IL - Joseph Abernathy, 1, beaten to death, East St Louis, 30 Dec 1972 *Arrest*

Elley Mae

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Kelly said Warwick went to court on murder charges in 1973, but the charges were dismissed without any explanation.

Baby Joey's death became a cold case, until his family started a petition on Change.org and made a Youtube video called "Justice for Joey" to reopen the case.
http://www.ksdk.com/news/article/397797/3/Indiana-softball-coach-arrested-for-1972-cold-case-murder

I tried to find the video but it has been removed from youtube. Wonder if they have new evidence that they didn't have in 1973.
 
Baby Joey's mother: 'We're finally going to get justice for him'
Published: September 14, 2013

The new developments brought tears of joy and a mixture of overwhelming emotions to the baby's mother.

She started an online campaign to get her son's case reopened and gathered signatures on petitions. And, she sent a YouTube video to St. Clair County Sheriff Richard Watson and an email asking him to watch the video and to re-open the case, she said.

"I received a YouTube video and an email. The lady was on there with flash cards. I looked at it on a Saturday, April 6, about 11 p.m. and something told me we needed to look into this case. I emailed our chief investigator, Scott Weymouth, right away and asked him to pull the case that following Monday morning," Watson said.

Watson said when the case was pulled, everything was intact -- which doesn't always happen with a cold case.

"There were pictures and records. Everything was there. This was very helpful to investigators and eventually led to Warwick's arrest," and subsequent charges from the St. Clair County state's attorney's office.

Melville, now of Cabot, Ark., was dating Warwick when the baby's body was found Dec. 30, 1972, in the family home at the edge of Washington Park near the old Assumption High School. Authorities said Warwick was living with Melville but was not the baby's father.

In an interview, Melville said the Warwick's arrest "is bitter sweet."

"I am very, very happy. A mother never forgets the loss of a child," she said, sobbing." "I have never forgotten and never been able to let it go. I promised myself and my baby that I'd seek justice.

Read more here: http://www.bnd.com/2013/09/14/2797549/baby-joeys-mother-were-finally.html#storylink=cpy


1b3Vdf.AuSt.98.jpg
 
Warwick is a former assistant coach for the Purdue University North Central Panthers. Carol Connelly, director of media communications, said he resigned last spring.

The university's website earlier described him as a "Northwest Indiana NSA icon," bringing more than 25 years of softball experience. Connelly said the university removed information about Warwick from the site later Friday.

He was listed as living in Portage with his wife of 35 years and having two married daughters and three grandchildren.

snip

Warwick is not related to the baby but lived in the same home at the time, St. Clair County Sheriff Rick Watson told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Watson didn't want to reveal more about the case, but he did say the belief had been the baby had died after falling out of his crib.

“Back in 1972, if you told someone a baby fell out of a crib, then that's what people thought had happened,” he said.

Kelly said Warwick initially was charged 40 years ago, but his 1973 trial was first delayed on grounds Warwick was ill and then the case was dismissed the following year without public explanation.

http://www.nwitimes.com/news/local/...cle_e987b9ef-afa7-50d3-ba73-ffdc82dd35f1.html
 
I hope this helps this poor family. 5 million dollars bail is an impressive amount of money...hopefully he cannot easily come up the bond.
 
Very glad they have reopened this case and will seek justice for little Joey. But I also want to know why and who got this case dismissed back in 1974. A mother should not have to wait this long.
 
THIS people... is why we make videos, start petitions and tell people about these stories!
More than one case has been prosecuted or re-opened because the public requested it. :seeya:
 
http://www.chicagotribune.com/subur...tb-warwick-appeal-st-0702-20160701-story.html

A Portage man has made another attempt to avoid a trial in the death four decades ago of a toddler in Illinois, taking his claims to the Illinois Supreme Court...

Meanwhile, the child's mother, Cathie Altman, of Arkansas, said she was "sorry for everything (Warwick's) children and grandchildren are going through," but putting Warwick in front of a jury of his peers will be justice for her son, Joseph Henry Abernathy III, or Joey.

Late last month, Warwick, through his attorney James Gormic, of Belleville, Ill., requested the State Supreme Court throw out an Illinois Appellate Court's ruling last May ordering Warwick stand trial in St. Clair County, Ill., for Abernathy's Dec. 30, 1972, death, roughly two weeks after the boy celebrated his first birthday.
 
http://www.bnd.com/news/local/crime/article116987228.html

The Illinois Supreme Court refused to hear the appeal of man facing murder charges in the death of a 1-year-old in St. Clair County more than 43 years ago.

Gary Warwick, 65, of Indiana, is set to appear in St. Clair County Court on Dec. 20 to answer a murder charge in the death of Joseph Abernathy III, known as “Baby Joey.”

“It’s going to happen after 43 years. It’s going to happen,” said Cathy Altman, Baby Joey’s mother. “I can’t say every detail will be easy to recall, but there’s some things that you don’t ever forget. I’ve lived with this for 43 years and I’ve dreamed about it, lived with it. All I’ve ever asked for is this day, his trial.”

“I know that it won’t bring him back but it will be justice for my son,” Altman said. “After Joey’s death, I just went into a deep, dark hole that I thought I would never climb out of, but here we are and I am ready. I am ready for trial.”

Stauffer said the family is prepared.

“We’ve been ready for three years, and it’s about time we have our chance to get it over with so we can move on,” she said.
 
This is weird - I can't find anything on this starting today - ??

Anyone find out "what's going on at this trial"?

TIA! :wave:
 
This is weird - I can't find anything on this starting today - ??

Anyone find out "what's going on at this trial"?

TIA! :wave:

It looks like it was pushed back. His next court date is scheduled for August 9th.

http://www.circuitclerk.co.st-clair.il.us/courts/Pages/icj.aspx

Defendant: Gary A. Warwick - Male - D.O.B.: 04/03/1951

Scheduled Date / Time: Wednesday August 09, 2017 at 1:30 pm

Appearance Detail: Courtroom 408 - Hearing - Motions
 
:tyou: JusticeWillBeServed!
 
Scheduled Date / Time: Wednesday August 09, 2017 at 1:30 pm

Now, is this Eastern time? or Central? :thinking:

Well, I'll be back at about 8:30pm my time and see if anything is happening....

JUSTICE for JOSEPH! :rose:

Too long in coming....

:judge:
 
from your post #18 - I found this:

Defendant: GARY A. WARWICK - Male - D.O.B.: 04/03/1951
Includes all Pending Appearance for this Defendant
Scheduled Date / TimeAppearance Detail
Wednesday September 27, 2017 at 1:30 pm Courtroom 408 - Hearing - Motions
13CF01435 Count: 1 - FIRST DEGREE MURDER - Class M Felony - ST. CLAIR COUNTY SHERIFF
 

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