State's Attorney Candidate Critical of Nerheim in Melissa Calusinski Case

A candidate for Lake County State’s Attorney suggested Melissa Calusinski, the woman convicted of the 2009 death of a Deerfield boy at a daycare in Lincolnshire, should be given a new trial.

Matt Stanton, who faces off against Michael Perillo Jr. in the Democratic primary this year, mentioned the high-profile case when asked about areas in which he was critical of incumbent State’s Attorney Michael Nerheim, the Daily Herald reports.

While defense attorneys for Calusinski have filed for a new trial and introduced X-rays showing the now 28-year-old Carpentersville woman may have been wrongfully convicted of murdering 16-month old Benjamin Kingan of Deerfield at a Minee Subee daycare, Nerheim has filed motions to dismiss the petition and claim the evidence is not new.

“There seems to be at least a chance there is new evidence that might be exculpatory,” Stanton said. “And why is Mike Nerheim’s office opposing a new trial if there’s a chance this person could be exonerated?”

The winner of the Stanton-Perillo primary will face Nerheim in the general election.

Perillo said it was wrong for Stanton to mention the case, claiming his opponent was only mentioning it to get the support of Calusinski supporters, of which there are thousands on Facebook.

“Ms. Calusinki’s case is pending,” he said. “I don’t think it’s appropriate for anyone running for this office to comment on what he or she would do if elected in that case.”

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