The Trials of an Illinois Circuit Clerk: Kim Kellerman Hosts State Meeting
The out-of-county triple murder trial of Chris Coleman, and before that a rape trial where guns were drawn and, more recently, the murder of Pinckneyville teenager Sidnee Stephens have galvanized the career of Perry County Circuit Clerk Kim Kellerman.
Kellerman is enjoying the same respect and longevity of the late great Circuit Clerk Robert Phipps and in November will be installed as president of the Illinois Association of Circuit Clerks.
This week she is hosting a statewide meeting of 91 circuit clerks at the Holiday Inn east of Carbondale.
Tuesday's meeting opened with a welcome by the honorable Judge James Campanella of Perry County.
Kellerman was one of the meeting's keynote training session speakers and recounted what it took last spring to find a jury of 12 from among 750 who were called for the murder trial of Chris Coleman, convicted of killing his wife and two sons. The jury pool became very large because "everyone was honest that they had heard about this case," said Kellerman. The trial was held in Monroe County, but the jury had to be shuttled from Perry County daily for more than two weeks.
At her side was Monroe County Circuit Clerk Sandy Sauget, who shared her thoughts on the arduous organizational pre-trial work.
The Coleman case was the last death penalty case in Illinois. The case "was insane," said Kellerman. Prospective jurors had to fill out detailed personal histories. News crews camped out at the K or C Hall in Pinckneyville where jurors were interviewed. The television magazine "48 Hours" spent an entire day setting up equipment in the courtroom for what amounted to "a minute" of air time in the segment. Judge Campanella helped traffic the work flow alongside Kellerman. After a week of jury selection, one juror on the day before the trial told Kellerman, "I just don't want to do this." Kellerman spoke calmly and supportively and "he became probably the best juror we had." She told the circuit clerks who were listening, "I pray no one has to face what we faced."
She empathized with jurors who were picked up from a secluded location at 7 a.m. every day to be taken to the Monroe County Courthouse. They left the courthouse at 5 p.m. daily for the duration, getting home at 7 p.m. "We were so proud of them," said Kellerman.
She said the trial itself was heartbreaking--"the pictures of those two little boys and his wife took a toll on all of us."
"Publicly, I want to thank Sandy," said Kellerman. Judge Wharton, who presided over the trial, called Kellerman and Sauget the "consummate professionals."
Clerks participated in sessions that covered everything from administrative law to safety and security in the courtroom.
Kellerman said one of the most anxious trials she remembers was the trial of James Joseph, who was convicted of rape and molestation charges after attacking two young girls headed home from school on Halloween weekend. She said emotions ran high. Threats were made. Guns were drawn in the courtroom. The recent Sidnee Stephens case has involved multiple defendants.
Circuit clerks gathered in Southern Illinois on Sunday, enjoyed the wine trail and dinner at Walker's Bluff, paid for by sponsors. Everyone attending applauded Kellerman for the success of the meeting, which ends today.