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PINCKNEYVILLE ˜ Victims and their families waiting at the Perry County Courthouse in Pinckneyville did not get to hear from the man accused of committing a string of sexual assaults in the county because he waived his preliminary hearing Tuesday.
James E. Joseph, 32, of 8765 Blue Bird Road in Tamaroa pleaded not guilty to all charges against him Tuesday.
Judge James Campanella accepted Joseph's request to waive the preliminary hearing, which relinquishes his right to have the prosecution prove probable cause for each charge. This means he will be tried for each of the original charges. Joseph's trial is scheduled to begin in January.
Joseph is charged with attempted aggravated robbery when a suspect allegedly tried to rob a 14-year-old girl in October. He is also charged with aggravated criminal sexual assault for the Oct. 26 sexual assault of a 20-year-old woman at the Pinckneyville Moto-Mart. In addition, Joseph was charged with predatory criminal sexual assault of a child and two counts of aggravated kidnapping for the alleged kidnapping at knifepoint of two 10-year-old cousins. Joseph allegedly sexually assaulted one of the girls.
If convicted, Joseph could receive up to 30 years per offense and a $25,000 fine for each charge except for attempted aggravated robbery, which he could receive up to 14 years and a $25,000 fine.
After his arraignment Nov. 7, Joseph was moved from the Perry County Jail in Pinckneyville because of a possible conflict with an employee who has a relationship with one of the victims.
Perry County Sheriff Keith Kellerman would not reveal where Joseph was being held but did say that he was located out of the district.
This is not the first conflict regarding Joseph's case. Joseph's defense was switched from the Perry County Public Defender's office to a court-appointed attorney in Belleville, also because of conflicts with the public defender's office.
"We're talking four different cases, so the possibility of conflicts arising in a small community like this is very likely it could happen and that's what arose out of all this," Kellerman said.
Joseph has been transported wearing a bulletproof vest because of threats on his life, Kellerman said.
"We've been told by the rumor mill and also by officers hearing word on the street directly from individuals that great bodily harm will come to Mr. Joseph before a trial happens," Kellerman said. "We have to treat them as a very serious threat not only for his safety, but also for the employees that are near him when he's going to and from court. We don't want our employees hurt, and I have a duty to look out for his well-being no matter what he's charged with right now."
Joseph was registered as an Illinois sex offender after he was sentenced in 1997 for predatory criminal sexual assault of a girl under the age of 13.
Maurice Reidelberger, a relative of the two 10-year-old victims, said the girls are doing "good" but questions why Joseph was allowed out of prison.
