MARION - Sixteen new charges were filed Thursday in the ongoing Williamson County case that accuses four men of beating a Herrin man in August, court documents show.

In October, the four men, all of whom had ties to law enforcement, were indicted by a grand jury with a combined total of 46 counts of charges stemming from the alleged Aug. 13 beating of Derek Wynn.

The charges range from official misconduct and unlawful restraint to battery and mob action.

That list grew to 61 counts Thursday, one day after another gathering of the grand jury. Williamson County State's Attorney Charles Garnati would not comment on the new charges, most likely a result of an agreement made between the attorneys to keep quiet in lieu of a gag order.

Michael Carruthers, Kyle Murray, Kyle Rinella and Clinton Ronchetto were each charged Thursday with conspiracy to commit battery, according to court documents. The misdemeanor charge also states that in addition to the conspiracy, Rinella offered someone a "free pass" in Williamson County if he gave up Wynn's address.

Court documents show a list of at least 38 witnesses that Garnati might call at trial, which has not yet been scheduled. The prosecution's evidence, according to the documents, includes cell phone records, police reports and statements, surveillance videos and cassette tapes, and DNA swabs from the four men.

One of the items listed includes a one-page report regarding a call Rinella reportedly made to an officer with the Southern Illinois Enforcement Group "to set up Derek Wynn on a drug deal." Also listed is a three-page report regarding Ronchetto's investigation of a theft at the Herrin Gas Mart that took place the same day as the Wynn's beating.

Ronchetto's attorney, John Drew, said at the November court hearing that his client was working Aug. 13 and could not have been involved in the beating. He further questioned why Garnati filed 15 counts against his client, the most out of the four men.

The recent filing of charges brings Ronchetto's number of counts to 21, Rinella to 18, Murray to 13 and Carruthers to nine. Murray, Rinella and Ronchetto were charged with additional counts of official misconduct based on violations of their police department's procedures.

At the time of the August incident, Murray was an Energy police officer and part-time Herrin dispatcher, Rinella was a sheriff's deputy, Ronchetto was a Herrin police officer and Carruthers was applying for a position with the sheriff's auxiliary.

Since the allegations surfaced, all of the defendants have either been placed on administrative leave, resigned or in Carruthers' case was not hired. A Dec. 21 court date has been set for the four.

Besides this case, Murray and Carruthers were charged last month in connection with the Oct. 20 alleged beating of Carterville residents McCaine Daughtery and Justin Parker. Murray and Carruthers, along with Justin Poole, 22, of Marion and Casey Morris, 21, of Carterville, are scheduled to appear in court Dec. 17.

Rinella is also the co-defendant in an $8.8 million civil lawsuit. He and Jeff Hutchinson, a county jailer, are accused of police brutality and excessive force stemming from the Aug. 4 alleged beating of Sesser resident Tony Swift.

Last month, Marion resident Donald Huse filed a lawsuit against Williamson County Sheriff Tom Cundiff and seven of the sheriff's employees for nearly $35 million, claiming he was repeatedly assaulted and Tasered during a five-month stay in the jail.

bethany.krajelis@thesouthern.com

351-5816

TIMELINE

Aug 4: Alleged beating of Sesser resident Tony Swift

Aug. 13: Alleged beating of Herrin resident Derek Wynn

Oct 20: Alleged beating of Carterville residents McCaine Daughtery and Justin Parker

Oct 22: Indictments handed down against Michael Carruthers, Kyle Murray, Kyle Rinella and Clinton Ronchetto in connection with the alleged beating of Wynn

Oct 24: Tony Swift files federal lawsuit against Kyle Rinella and Jeff Hutchinson

Nov. 20: Donald Huse files federal lawsuit against county sheriff and seven jailers regarding alleged beatings that took place from Aug. 30, 2006 to Jan. 13, 2007