Juries Find Both Defendants, Keith and Terrence Nicks, Guilty in Burr Oak Cemetery Trial

Terrence Nicks is accused alongside his brother Keith, of a ghoulish scheme in which graves at the historic cemetery were dug up and resold

Juries found both defendants, Keith and Terrence Nicks, guilty in the Burr Oak Cemetery trial Wednesday evening.

Fireworks erupted during closing arguments at the Burr Oak Cemetery trial in Bridgeview, Wednesday, as a Cook County prosecutor was brought close to tears as he accused one of the defendants of crossing a line "even the devil himself would not cross."

The case is being heard by two separate juries, both of whom were deliberating at late afternoon.

"Graverobber!" prosecutor Nicholas Trutenko screamed at defendant Terrance Nicks. "This is the face right here, of the cold and uncaring. This is the face, of the unrepentant!"

Nicks is accused with his brother Keith, of a ghoulish scheme in which graves at the historic cemetery were dug up and resold.

Trutenko paced the length of the courtroom, at one point opening the door to the hallway, looking for "anyone" who would say that what had been done was right.

"A baby, at peace with the Lord," he shouted, "dreaming the dreams that babies dream. This guy took that headstone!"

Nicks' attorney James Freyman argued the state had not made their case, describing his client as a "hardworking man who tried to do his job the right way."

"He didn't remove any gravestones," he said. "He didn't desecrate any graves. He didn't remove any human remains!"

"If you want a fall guy, take my guy," he told the jury. "If you want to do justice, find him not guilty."

When it was his turn to address the jury, attorney Tony Peraica, representing Keith Nicks, said his client was being railroaded by a trio of former co-workers who testified for the state.

"This case is about greed," Peraica said. "It's about jealousy. It's about revenge--all fueled by lies!"

"What evidence have you seen that Keith Nicks received a single penny?" he asked the jury. "What's the motive? What benefit would he have?"

The Keith Nicks jury received the case just before 4:30 p.m. His brother's jury began deliberating about three hours earlier.

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