Crime & Safety
Victim’s Statement Holds Up Darien Man’s Sex Case Sentencing
A defense attorney's questions about a sex crime victim's written statement forced a sentencing to be postponed.
By Joseph Hosey
A Darien man's sentencing for sexually abusing a Lockport Township High School student was postponed when a lawyer questioned a written statement the young woman produced.
The attorney for 42-year-old Timothy Hagan said he received the victim's statement the morning of Thursday's sentencing hearing and after reading it wanted to cross-examine her regarding claims she made about undergoing medical treatment.
Will County Judge Robert Livas told the attorney, Dave Carlson, that the woman has "the right to say basically anything she wants" in her statement. Assistant State's Attorney Steve Platek said he did not think Carlson could cross-examine the woman.
The woman—who was a 17-year-old high school senior when she started having sex with Hagan—attended the hearing but did not testify or read her statement aloud. Judge Livas read it silently to himself. The judge set a date next week for the sentencing hearing to continue.
Hagan was working at Lockport Township High School as a computer network administrator when he met the teen and began having sex with her. He pleaded guilty just before his trial was slated to start in May.
Hagan's plea deal calls for him to receive probation so long as a sex offender evaluation does not find him to be a high risk to re-offend. Livas can still sentence him to 14 years in prison.
Regardless of whether he gets probation or time behind bars, Hagan will have to register as a sex offender for the rest of his life.
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