Jury deliberations are underway in the trial of 31 year old Jeffrey Isham of Mt. Carmel.
State’s attorney Kelli Storckman called five witnesses to the stand this morning including three experts from the State Police Crime Lab who testified that DNA samples taken from the alleged victims’ clothing were inconclusive and could not be definitively linked to Isham, but it also couldn’t preclude him from being the source.
After Storckman rested the state’s case, defense attorney James Lane immediately rested without calling any witnesses or offering any evidence.
During closing arguments this afternoon, Storckman asked the jury to carefully consider the alleged victim’s testimony…details of which haven’t changed since the incident allegedly occurred in September of 2019 at Isham’s Keensburg residence.
Lane used a good part of his closing argument to criticize the investigation led by the Wabash County Sheriff’s Department saying several mis-steps occurred. Lane also openly wondered why Storckman hadn’t called the alleged victims’ mother or any representative of DCFS to testify.
The jury got the case at 2:10 this afternoon and is deliberating in the courtroom because of COVID protocols. Isham is charged with a Class X felony of predatory criminal sexual assault which carries a prison term of 6 to 30 years and is not a probationable offense.
