Judge Robert Adrian
QUINCY — The Illinois Supreme Court ruled on Jan. 29 to deny a petition by Tim Bliefnick, a Quincy man convicted of murdering his estranged wife in February 2023, for leave to appeal the Nov. 8 judgment of the Appellate Court, Fourth Judicial District. Bliefnick’s appeal was one of 153 cases that were on the…
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QUINCY — The Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission (IARDC) has recommended that former Eighth Judicial Circuit Judge Robert Adrian should be suspended for two years and until further order of the Illinois Supreme Court. The recommendation for Adrian’s discipline was made after an Oct. 28 video conference of a hearing board panel consisting of:…
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QUINCY — Attorneys representing Tim Bliefnick, a Quincy man convicted of murdering his estranged wife in Feb. 2023, have petitioned the Illinois Supreme Court for leave to appeal the Nov. 8 judgment of the Appellate Court, Fourth Judicial District. A three-judge panel from the Illinois Appellate Court Fourth District — Raylene Grischow from Sangamon County,…
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QUINCY — James Waller, an assistant appellate defender with the Office of the State Appellate Defender, Fourth District, said a case as important as the Tim Bliefnick murder case should be tried before a judge “whose career is not resting in the hands of the prosecutor trying the case.” Allison Paige Brooks, assistant appellate prosecutor…
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QUINCY — Illinois Supreme Court Justice Lisa Holder White has started the application process for an at-large circuit judge vacancy in the Eighth Judicial Circuit that resulted from the removal of Judge Robert Adrian on Feb. 23. Under the Illinois Constitution, judicial vacancies are filled by Supreme Court appointment. The application process will lead to…
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CHICAGO — Mike Deno called Eighth Circuit Judge Robert Adrian’s explanation for why he reversed his guilty verdict in the Drew Clinton sexual assault trial “not believable,” refuting Adrian’s claim he changed his mind because Clinton wasn’t guilty and instead said Adrian tried to circumvent the law to avoid giving him a mandatory prison sentence.…
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CHICAGO — When testifying to the Illinois Courts Commission about Eighth District Judge Robert Adrian’s experience and knowledge in the 13 years he’s been on the bench in Adams County, Quincy attorney Drew Schnack took the opportunity to make a pitch to the seven commissioners. “It would be tragic to lose Judge Adrian,” Schnack said…
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CHICAGO — Asked what he thought about his hearing before the Illinois Courts Commission, which ended Wednesday afternoon, Eighth Circuit Judge Robert Adrian’s response was simple. “I have no idea,” he replied. The two-day hearing wrapped up with the testimony of three prosecution witnesses and one defense witness, along with closing arguments. Other than when…
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CHICAGO — Eighth Circuit Judge Robert Adrian said he made a “rookie mistake” when he found Drew Clinton guilty in a sexual assault case, then repeatedly admitted he made errors when he reversed his decision during a sentencing hearing on Jan. 3, 2022. “It’s hard to admit you make a mistake in a lot of…
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CHICAGO — A three-day hearing before the Illinois Courts Commission for Eighth Judicial Circuit Judge Robert Adrian is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. Tuesday in the Michael A. Bilandic Building, 160 N. LaSalle. Cook County Circuit Court Judge Lewis Nixon picked this week for the trial during a video conference in April. Adrian found Drew Clinton,…
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CHICAGO — Life is much simpler these days for Cameron Vaughan. She’s now living in Joplin, Mo., near her grandmother, Dorothy Shutter. She has moved in with her boyfriend, Matthew Sharp, and together they take care of a cat and a Husky dog. When she visits the grocery store, goes to dinner or works her…
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QUINCY — A Quincy man indicted over a year ago on multiple sex offense charges is scheduled to have his bench trial in December. Aaron Washington, 46, was arrested on Sept. 12, 2022 after being interviewed at the Quincy Police Department. He is charged with Criminal Sexual Assault of a Family Member under the age…
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QUINCY — A Clayton teen facing three counts of first-degree murder in connection to the shooting death of a Camp Point man pled not guilty Wednesday morning. Wyond L. Bynum, Jr., 18, appeared Wednesday morning for his arraignment in Adams County Circuit Court with St. Louis-based attorney Victor Smith before Judge Robert Adrian. Smith replaces…
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QUINCY – CBS News is in Quincy this week for production work on its “48 Hours” segment on the Tim Bliefnick murder case. On May 31, Bliefnick was found guilty of killing his estranged wife, Becky, on Feb. 23, shooting her 14 times as they couple fought over a bitter divorce for two years. While…
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QUINCY — MRN Publisher Bob Gough and Editor David Adam will provide real time updates via social media. You can follow via Twitter @MuddyNews or on the Muddy River News Facebook page. As the trial breaks for lunch, Muddy River News will prepare a brief report on the morning’s happenings in the afternoon. Also, we will replay the morning’s…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Adams County Assistant State’s Attorney Josh Jones painted a picture of the last moments of Becky Bliefnick’s life, describing fear, panic and death and accusing Tim Bliefnick of shooting her 14 times. Jones presented the prosecution’s opening statements before a jury of six men and six women Tuesday morning. Jones described the crime…
Read Full Article QUINCY – Judge Robert Adrian has denied a petition sought by local media outlets to unseal all motions in the first-degree murder case of Tim Bliefnick. Adrian issued his ruling Friday. Rebecca Bliefnick was found shot to death in her home on Feb. 23. Her estranged husband, Tim, was arrested on March 13 and entered…
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QUINCY — Both the defense and the prosecution say they will be ready to begin the first-degree murder trial of Tim Bliefnick on May 22. Bliefnick is accused of killing his estranged wife, Rebecca Bliefnick, on Feb. 23. Bliefnick was arrested on March 13 on two first-degree murder charges and one count of home invasion.…
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QUINCY — Legal counsel for three Quincy media outlets appeared before Adams County Circuit Judge Robert K. Adrian to request he unseal court documents related to the first-degree murder case of Timothy Bliefnick. Adrian told the parties he would take the motion under advisement. He gave them seven days to submit briefs. He said he…
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According to Illinois statute 735 ILCS 5/8-802.1(d), staff of the QUANADA Sexual Assault Program are prohibited from disclosing any confidential communication about our clients either by releasing records pertaining to them or by testifying as a witness in any civil or criminal proceedings without the victim’s consent. In a case where the client is deceased, the…
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QUINCY – Judge Robert Adrian will hear arguments regarding a blanket unsealing of all documents pertaining to the first-degree murder case of Tim Bliefnick. But those arguments won’t happen before a Thursday court appearance by Bliefnick that is expected to last for most of the day. Muddy River News, WGEM-TV and The Herald-Whig, represented by…
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QUINCY — Judge Robert Adrian ruled Wednesday that Tim Bliefnick was indigent after he filled out an affidavit of his assets and liabilities as well as based on the Circuit Court’s freezing of assets contested in the divorce case between Bliefnick and his late estranged wife, Rebecca. Tim Bliefnick faces first-degree murder charges in the…
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QUINCY — An Adams County grand jury returned a true bill of indictment Thursday morning in the case of Tim Bliefnick, who is charged with two counts of murder in the Feb. 23 shooting death of his estranged wife, Rebecca Bliefnick. The grand jury met for about three hours Thursday and heard evidence on 38…
Read Full Article QUINCY — Tim Bliefnick will remain in the Adams County Jail until at least next week when a grand jury will hear the evidence against him to decide if he will be arraigned. Bliefnick, 39, made his first appearance in Adams County Circuit Court Tuesday afternoon with attorney Casey Schnack in Courtroom 1A before Judge…
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QUINCY — Nearly a year after being removed from criminal cases at the Adams County Courthouse, Judge Robert Adrian has been reinstated to his former duties. Administrative orders filed Dec. 20 by Judge Frank McCartney, chief judge of the Eighth Judicial Circuit, noted that Adrian and Judge Tad Brenner would be assigned to felony criminal…
Read Full Article April 12, 2025
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