Dixon man accused of attempted murder still wants trial moved out of Ogle County

OREGON – A private attorney representing a rural Dixon man charged with the attempted murder of three police officers said he will be pursuing a motion made by a former Ogle County public defender to hold the trial outside the county.

Jonathon Gounaris, 33, is charged with four counts of attempted first-degree murder, three counts of aggravated discharge of a firearm, three counts of aggravated battery and two counts of possession of a firearm without a firearm owner’s identification card – all of which stem from a June 12 standoff with police in the rural Dixon subdivision of Lost Lake. He has pleaded not guilty to all charges and is being held in the Winnebago County Jail in Rockford.

Originally, Gounaris was represented by former Assistant Public Defender William Gibbs, who left the office in August. Then, the case was taken over by Assistant Public Defender Michael O’Brien, who left the office in mid-April. Gounaris is now represented by attorney William Wolf of Wolf Criminal Law, based in Chicago.

Gounaris appeared before Ogle County Judge John “Ben” Roe on Friday along with Wolf and attorney Jack DeBacker of Wolf Criminal Law.

Wolf told Roe that he plans to pursue O’Brien’s March 6 motion to appoint an expert but needs to amend it and expand on it.

The motion filed by O’Brien asks Roe to “appoint an expert and/or reimburse defense costs to assist in presenting a change-of-venue request,” according to the motion.

A change-of-venue motion typically asks the judge to move the trial to a different location. Those motions usually cite reasons that the filing party believes would prevent a fair trial in the county in which the case was filed. Pretrial publicity often is listed as a reason for a change-of-venue motion.

In O’Brien’s motion, he argued that the court should allow and pay for a company to “explore the likelihood that this case should be tried” in a different county because there exists “prejudice against” Gounaris, and he cannot receive a fair trial in Ogle County.

Wolf also asked for additional time to review the large amount of discovery, with no objection from the state.

Assistant State’s Attorney Heather Kruse asked for Gounaris’ continued detention, and Wolf had no objection.

Gounaris has been denied pretrial release as far back as his initial detention hearing June 20. O’Brien made extensive arguments supporting Gounaris’ release at a hearing March 17, when he called the June standoff a “paradox of the welfare check.”

[ Dixon man charged with attempted murder of three police officers seeks release for mental health treatment ]

The state disagrees and has continued to argue for detention since that initial June 20 hearing. Kruse said March 17 that police had found Gounaris to be wearing ballistic body armor while armed with two handguns, pepper spray and a knife.

On Friday, Roe again ruled to keep Gounaris detained.

Gounaris is charged with shooting three members of the Ogle County Sheriff’s Office Emergency Response Team after a three-hour standoff when police tried to enter his home at 402 Wild Rice Lane in Lost Lake.

[ Sheriff: Rural Dixon resident shoots 3 deputies after barricading himself in home at Lost Lake ]

The ERT is made up of individuals from agencies including the sheriff’s office, Oregon and Byron police departments, and SWAT medics from the Rochelle Fire Department.

Gounaris’ next hearing is set for 2:30 p.m. July 17.