JONESBORO - Union County State's Attorney Allen W. James will face charges of unlawful use of a weapon and disorderly conduct stemming from a March 19 incident in which he pointed a handgun at a private investigator.
"I've always followed the law and enforced the law and upheld the law to the best of my ability," James said Friday morning after the indictments were returned by grand jury. "Now, I'm accused of violating the law without ever even having a say in the process and I was available to do so."
A grand jury met about 9 a.m. Wednesday and deliberated until the afternoon regarding allegations that James knowingly and in an effort to avoid civil process, pointed a gun a Christopher Dees, a private investigator. No shots were fired.
Dees alleges he was attempting to serve James, in the parking lot of the courthouse, with a federal subpoena in a case filed by a former employee of the state's attorney's office. As Dees approached, James pointed a .380 semi-automatic handgun at him.
James denies having prior knowledge of who Dees was and said he wielded the gun in self defense and fear for his own safety. Dees claims he had tried to serve James on a number of occasions and was known by James to be a process server.
Illinois State Police launched an investigation into the matter and Wayne County State's Attorney Kevin Kakac was appointed as special prosecutor in the case.
