The Hancock-Henderson Quill, Inc.
By DAVID GRIMES, for The QUILL
OQUAWKA - Travis "The Bos" Boswell entered a plea of not guilty and opted for a jury trial during a preliminary hearing in an ear-biting case here in Henderson County Court last week.
The Aledo man is charged with biting off the top portion of Corey Brewer's right ear during an altercation with the Boss Hogg's bar manager during the early morning hours of Jan. 19.
Boswell faces three Class 3 felony charges stemming from the incident and faces 2 to 5 years incarceration and a fine of up to $25,000 if convicted.
In showing probable cause in the case, Henderson County States Attorney Raymond Cavanaugh called Henderson County Sheriff's Deputy Scott Albin and Illinois State Trooper Dan Jansen to the stand.
Albin was first to arrive on the scene of the incident at the Gulfport, Ill., night club.
Both officers confirmed that Boswell admitted to kicking in the door of Brewer's 1998 Chevy Blazer.
During cross examination by Boswell's attorney David Zwickert, Jansen was asked, "Did he say anything about how much he (Boswell) had drank?"
Jansen said Boswell told him he was inebriated to the point that he didn't remember what went on during the fight, but acknowledged kicking the door on the Blazer and would pay for the cost of the repairs.
Jansen also confirmed that both men traveled to Great River Medical Center for treatment after the fight ended, and that he witnessed Brewer being prepped for surgery in an emergency room treatment cubicle to have the portion of the ear re-attached.
Asked if he was told about the presence of a baseball bat during the altercation and if he thought Boswell may have been acting in self defense, Jansen told Zwickert, "I believed he felt he was the victim of another aggressor."
Ninth Circuit Court Judge David Stoverink found that probable cause in the case had been established, after which Boswell pleaded not guilty and requested a jury trial.
Stoverink set a trial date of April 29 at 9:30 a.m.