DeKalb man in beating case back in DeKalb County jail

SYCAMORE – A DeKalb man is back in the DeKalb County jail on charges of beating a longtime jail inmate.

Princeston L. Mack, 20, of the
800 block of Ridge Drive, was arrested Nov. 29 and jailed on $20,000 bond for the alleged Nov. 27 beating of Brendan G. Elliott.

According to court records, witnesses told police that Mack and Jordan C. Hopkins, 26, of the 300 block of Linden Place, DeKalb, attacked Elliott – who had been released Oct. 5 after spending almost four years in jail on various charges – at Hopkins’ apartment. Police said in court records that Elliott had gashes on his neck, mouth and eye.

Judge Philip Montgomery had set Mack’s initial bond, but on Dec. 14, he granted Public Defender Michelle Dietrich’s motion to reduce it to a recognizance bond. Dietrich said in her motion that Mack would go on electronic home monitoring, as ordered, and live with his cousin in Cook County.

Mack was arrested Saturday and charged with possession or use of a firearm by a felon, a charge that carries a mandatory prison sentence. If convicted, he will serve two to five years in prison. Assistant State’s Attorney Stephen Harrell filed a motion Saturday to increase bond, stating that Mack has “demonstrated a persistent lack of regard for [bond] conditions of any kind” and put the community at risk.

Mack is being held without bond, and the motion will be heard at 9 a.m. Tuesday, along with a motion to reduce Hopkins’ $30,000 bond.

Chief Judge Robbin Stuckert set Hopkins’ bond based on his criminal history after his appearance in court last week.

He has said he does not have $3,000 to post for bail.