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Crime & Safety

Lawyers: Ashford House Five In Talks for Plea Deal

The attorneys for five Indiana men accused in a Tinley Park attack on a suspected white supremacist group are in talks with prosecutors and the judge about a possible plea agreement. They will be back in court Nov. 16.

The five Indiana men being tried for their involvement in the Ashford House attack case, could take a plea deal, attorneys said Tuesday.

John Tucker, 26; Cody Sutherlin, 23; Dylan Sutherlin, 20; Alex Stuck, 22; and Jason Sutherlin, 33, were arrested in May and are charged with mob action, armed violence, aggravated battery and criminal damage to property.

READ: Ashford House Defendant Asks for Jury Trial

Find out what's happening in Tinley Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Police say the five men, three of whom are brothers, stormed the Ashford House in Tinley Park on May 19, their faces covered, . Authorities have said those targeted were affiliated with white supremacist movements, and defendants are said to be members of the

Jim Fennerty and Brian Barrido, attorneys for Cody and Dylan Sutherlin, respectively, both confirmed Tuesday, Oct. 23, that a meeting to discuss a plea bargain—known as a "402 conference"—began with prosecutors and Judge Carmen Aguilar on Monday, Oct. 22.

Find out what's happening in Tinley Parkwith free, real-time updates from Patch.

READ: Tinley Park 5 Becomes Symbol for Anti-Rascist Groups Across the Country

However, Aguilar continued the conference for a more extensive investigation, where all five defendants will be interviewed, Fennerty told Patch during a phone interview Tuesday.

A motion to suppress the arrest of the men is pending the outcome of the conference, Barrido said in voice mail message.

"I will be arguing the motion to quash the arrest if we can't resolve [the case] with the conference," the attorney said. 

The lawyers said all five defendants were involved in the plea talks, including Tucker. In September, attorneys for Tucker dropped their motion to suppress the arrest and asked for a jury trial, claiming the delays in the case were caused by a political agenda and their client was innocent of any wrongdoing.

READ: Check Out Patch's Complete Coverage of the Attack and Trial in Our Ashford House Section

Tucker's counsel wasn't immediately available for comment Tuesday.

The next court date for all five defendants is Nov. 16.

 

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