EDWARDSVILLE – Madison County State’s Attorney Tom Gibbons announced that Tuesday afternoon, attorneys from the Madison County State’s Attorney’s Office Children’s Justice Division will begin a trial against James Lopes to have him declared Sexually Dangerous.
The ruling of Sexually Dangerous would allow the State’s Attorney’s office to have Lopes committed indefinitely – possibly even for life.
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To prove their case, prosecutors have been required to bring in witnesses from Oregon to testify about an incident in 2012. Other witnesses also include two independent mental health experts who evaluated Lopes to determine whether or not he meets the state standards for a declaration of Sexually Dangerous.
Jury selection began this afternoon, with evidence to be presented on Wednesday. The case is being tried by Assistant State’s Attorneys Kathleen Nolan and Alison Foley. Nolan is Chief of the Children’s Justice Division. Lopes has remained in custody at the Madison County Jail since his arrest by Madison County Sheriff’s Deputies in April of 2016.
“I want to thank the Madison County Sheriff’s Office and our Children’s Justice Division for their diligent work on this case. Together, we will do everything in our power to keep our community safe by keeping this individual off the streets and away from our children.,” said State’s Attorney Gibbons.
