Battle over access to evidence in case of Chicago tax attorney accused of murdering his wife

CHICAGO (WLS) -- Adam Beckerink's attorneys are arguing to keep several pieces of evidence out of the public eye during his murder trial. The legal battle centers around access to Beckerink's electronic devices, his mental health intake records when he was processed into Cook County jail, and his personal diaries.

Earlier this year, the Chicago tax attorney pleaded not guilty to nine counts against him including the murder of his 36-year-old wife, Caitlin Tracey, and the concealment of her body. Tracey was found dead at the bottom of a stairwell in Beckerink's South Loop condo building in October of 2024.

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Since he was extradited to Cook County and charged with Tracey's murder after serving a sentence for domestic violence against her in Michigan, efforts in court have turned to evidence. There is one central question: whether prosecutors should be allowed access to mental health intake records when Beckerink was processed at the Cook County jail.

"It's going to be a pitched battle over these things because there can be really valuable information there. It doesn't mean, however, that it's all disclosable," said ABC7 Chief Legal Analyst Gil Soffer.

Beckerink's defense team is objecting to the release of the so-called "bruise sheet" or intake form.

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Soffer told the I-Team prosecutors will have to show a need for information that is generally considered private.

"In theory, if a defendant is making statements about his own mental health that could undermine a defense, he may later bring that's based on his mental health, it could be really prohibitive and really helpful to the state's case," said Soffer.

Also at issue is the testing of DNA evidence by the state. That testing may consume the remainder of that biological evidence. Beckerink's attorneys telling the court their client has "a constitutional right to independently test the evidence the State intends to use against him," something that cannot happen if all evidence is consumed.

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"A court will try to accommodate a defense request to have some of this biological evidence to work with, unless the state can demonstrate that it's simply impossible to get a fair test without consuming all of the evidence," said Soffer.

Prosecutors also want access to personal diaries that were recovered from Beckerink, diaries written in booklets with his former legal firm's name on them. Beckerink's attorneys say that is privileged legal information that should not be admitted.

"It's important to know writing something down in a document or in a booklet that has a law firm's name on it doesn't make the contents of that document or booklet privilege," said Soffer.

Prosecutors also want access to Beckerink's personal devices. We reached out to Beckerink's attorneys but did not immediately hear back.

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