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Judge postpones Granville man's murder trial

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Peoria Journal Star, The (IL)

Author: GARY L. SMITH

HENNEPIN - The trial of a Granville man accused of murdering a 3-year-old foster child last year was postponed for three months Thursday because of a state agency's delay in providing evidence in the case.

Matthew Archer, 28, whose trial for allegedly murdering Jordan Cain had been scheduled to start June 21 in Putnam County Circuit Court, will not go to trial until Sept. 27.

Circuit Judge Scott Shore had denied on May 20 a defense request for a delay to allow Archer's mother to travel out of state for family reasons during the trial week. But a week later, State's Attorney James Mack revealed that he had just received some 500 pages of new discovery documents the day before from the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services investigators.

In addition, defense attorney Kevin Sullivan said Mack had just given him about 100 photographs taken by the Peoria County Coroner's Office. Sullivan said he might want to challenge the prosecution's plan to introduce some of those as evidence.

Sullivan emphasized he was sure Mack had turned the material over as promptly as possible. But he added that he could not research all of it quickly enough to give Archer the best possible defense if the trial began June 21.

Partly because Shore presides in Marshall and Stark Counties as well as Putnam at the same time, he said September was the earlier the trial could be set to accommodate court schedules and the lawyers involved.

Archer, who is free on bond, is charged with first-degree murder and aggravated battery of a child for allegedly causing the girl's death in his home in late October. He'll face 20 to 60 years in prison if convicted on the murder charge.

2004 Jun 11