Melodie Gliniewicz seeks to have some charges against her thrown out

FOX LAKE, Ill. (WLS) -- Melodie Gliniewicz said Tuesday she should not be tried for the crimes of her late husband. The widow of the Fox Lake police sergeant who staged his own death wants a judge to throw out some of the criminal charges against her.

The 51-year-old widow of disgraced Fox Lake Police Lieutenant Joe Gliniwiecz was partially shielded by her attorneys as she arrived at the Lake County courthouse Tuesday afternoon.

She is currently charged with nine counts related to misuse of funds for the Fox Lake Police Explorers program, which was run by her late husband.

Her attorney is attempting to have four of the nine remaining counts against her dismissed because, Donald Morrison told the court, "the state is attempting to charge Melodie Gliniewicz for the actions of her late husband Joe Gliniewicz."

Police said Lt. Gliniewicz carefully staged his suicide last fall to look like murder because his alleged theft of funds from the Explorers group was about to be uncovered.

Defense attorneys for his widow insist Melodie Gliniewicz had no knowledge of her husband's crimes. Prosecutors insist otherwise, and they believe the law allows the state to charge her.

"The two of them could cause the use of charitable funds to be used for personal benefit," said Scott Turk, assistant state's attorney.

The judge plans to issue her ruling on whether those counts will be dismissed on June 14, two weeks before the case is set to go to trial.

If found guilty, Melodie Gliniewicz could face a maximum of up to seven years in prison.