Federal judge says she thinks convicted drug dealer killed police officer, gives defendant 35 years
State prosecutors in Cook County, Illinois, couldn’t prove a murder case against Jason “J-Rock” Austin in the 2008 slayings of an off-duty Chicago police detective and his companion.
But federal prosecutors in a subsequent drug case argued at sentencing that Austin had indeed killed Chicago police detective Robert Soto and social worker Kathryn Romberg and asked for a life prison term. On Thursday, U.S. District Judge Joan Lefkow gave Austin 35 years, telling him, “I do believe it’s very likely you committed those murders. … You destroyed two innocent lives.”
The Chicago Reader, the Chicago Sun-Times and the Chicago Tribune have stories.
It isn’t clear from news accounts how much more time Austin may have been given because he was held accountable in federal court for the slayings in addition to his role overseeing a heroin distribution ring. However, his lawyer, Richard Kling, told the Reader he is “confused and surprised” to see Austin punished for a crime he hasn’t been convicted of, and he expects this to be “one of the big issues” when the case is appealed.
Because the two slayings were in issue only at Austin’s sentencing, they needed to be proven by a preponderance standard instead of beyond a reasonable doubt, as would have been required for a murder conviction.
Related coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Man beat murder charge in detective’s death, but feds seek life term in drug case, citing slaying”
See also:
ABAJournal.com: “Ex-judge once jailed for mailing live snake gets 40 years in drug case; feds say he killed witness”
