ROCKFORD A certificate of innocence granted in late February to Patrick Pursley is being contested.
The Winnebago County State s Attorney s Office as well as a private law firm representing seven retired Rockford police detectives who pegged Pursley as the gunman who robbed and fatally shot Andy Ascher in 1993 have filed a motion to reconsider.
The request was filed Wednesday just within the 30-day time frame permitted, prosecutors said. The certificate, among other things, allows Pursley to file for up to $220,000 in compensation for being incarcerated for 23 years.
Mike Iasparro, an attorney with the law firm Hinshaw & Culbertson, and Andrew Fisk, an assistant state s attorney, said the motion was filed on the basis of new evidence. Iasparro went on to explain Thursday it is actually the same ballistics evidence that only recently has been properly tested.
Hintz ignored calls by county office holders to resign and ran unopposed in the Nov. 3 election. He was re-elected to another four-year term and a day later, he pleaded not guilty to 37 felony counts, including 23 counts of official misconduct, 12 counts of forgery and two counts of theft.
Michelle Hintz pleaded not guilty to four counts of theft and three counts of unlawful use of a credit card.
Former State’s Attorney Marilyn Hite Ross said purchases were made with a county-issued credit card.
Between April 2018 and July, the Hintzes are alleged to have used county funds for personal expenses. According to the indictments, Bill Hintz allegedly spent more than $10,000 on hotel rooms, car rentals, gasoline and tolls unrelated to official county business.