Obviously there is much pain here and probably addiction. We need to embrace these children and show them love

Thank GOD i have GIRLS!!!!

http://www.criminaljusticeusa.com/blog/2011/10-infamous-female-serial-killers/

the only thing these children need to embrace is a jail cell

I was not read my maranda rights, therefore I am innocent. I love how much everyone cares about me and the support I am getting from people on this site. I love J.Y.

If you are the real Joe, its Miranda. Even if what you say is true, it does not make you innocent. It just means the case will be tougher for the state. Im not sure why your parents are even allowing you on the computer.

Gigi, maybe you can love and embrace some crims from the West sde of Chicago. They need love too. There's has to be a 17 year old there who's broken into a home with a stolen firearm who needs a hug.

WHY? are all you PATHETIC people leaving comments. Concerned citizens? PLEASE. Nobody in HP or DF have exciting life. HP and DF is the mecca of drama and opinions. I am the closes person leaving a comment on this situation and if circumstance were different. I would have been in that home the morning of the robbery. To the teens who rob that home..YOUR LUCKY I WASNT THERE THAT MORNING, CAUSE IF I WAS, I WOULD HAVE ATTACK YOU AND GOTTEN YOUR GUN, HOG TIED YOU AND THEM CALLED THE COPS. or I would have gotten shot and YOU PATHETIC teens would have been up on murder or attempt murder charges. Believe me the people reading this comment. If you can figure out who this is. Know that I wouldn't back down from two pathetic teens with guns. I have to much PRIDE for that. I would rather be shot. Plus then the pathetic DF teens, would be big bubbas, GF in prison for at least 15-20 years.

Good thing they didn't break into your house or they both would have been blown away in a flurry of vigilante justice.

Walter, you're confused about the word "Vigilante" - it's defined thus "any person who takes the law into his or her own hands, as by avenging a crime.".

While Illinois has not adopted a modern castle law, it does have a statute on the books protecting citizens’ right to self-defense in the event of an attack within their home. The law does not require a duty to retreat but does require that victims “reasonably believe” that an attack that could cause serious physical harm is imminent. The law allows for the use of physical or deadly force only when the invader has forcefully entered the home or when the homeowner reasonably believes that a felony is about to be committed. Illinois provides immunity from civil liability for residents using physical or deadly force under such circumstances.

Someone unknown to you breaks into your home, and is armed with a weapon? Ummm, this would seem to be a reasonable belief that an attack which could cause serious physical harm is imminent, and if you undertook physical or deadly force against the invader, then it's not vigilantism, it's perfectly legal and within the law.

Of course Walter, you certainly are free to welcome the invader with open arms, give him some food and drink, and while discussing his possible life issues hope he doesn't rape, injure, or kill you or your family while he's ransacking your house. It's entirely up to you to choose.

Walter, anyone who shoots an armed invader is a hero in my opinion. You cross a line when you choose to break into someones home with a firearm in your possession. Have you ever had a gun pointed at you? I think if you did you might not be so worried about the attacker's rights over that of the victim.

D. Temple: I've never claimed to. Do you?

you deserve the same fate as these dangerous heartless teal donning bandits. shame on you David.

Shame on me for what, exactly, Rich?

David, ignore Dick Issacson, he seems to be shaming everyone with an opinion that does not coincide with his.

WHY? are all you PATHETIC people leaving comments. Concerned citizens? PLEASE. Nobody in HP or DF have exciting life. HP and DF is the mecca of drama and opinions. I am the closes person leaving a comment on this situation and if circumstance were different. I would have been in that home the morning of the robbery. To the teens who rob that home..YOUR LUCKY I WASNT THERE THAT MORNING, CAUSE IF I WAS, I WOULD HAVE ATTACK YOU AND GOTTEN YOUR GUN, HOG TIED YOU AND THEM CALLED THE COPS. or I would have gotten shot and YOU PATHETIC teens would have been up on murder or attempt murder charges. Believe me the people reading this comment. If you can figure out who this is. Know that I wouldn't back down from two pathetic teens with guns. I have to much PRIDE for that. I would rather be shot. Plus then the pathetic DF teens, would be big bubbas, GF in prison for at least 15-20 years.

WHY? are all you PATHETIC people leaving comments. Concerned citizens? PLEASE. Nobody in HP or DF have exciting life. HP and DF is the mecca of drama and opinions. I am the closes person leaving a comment on this situation and if circumstance were different. I would have been in that home the morning of the robbery. To the teens who rob that home..YOUR LUCKY I WASNT THERE THAT MORNING, CAUSE IF I WAS, I WOULD HAVE ATTACK YOU AND GOTTEN YOUR GUN, HOG TIED YOU AND THEM CALLED THE COPS. or I would have gotten shot and YOU PATHETIC teens would have been up on murder or attempt murder charges. Believe me the people reading this comment. If you can figure out who this is. Know that I wouldn't back down from two pathetic teens with guns. I have to much PRIDE for that. I would rather be shot. Plus then the pathetic DF teens, would be big bubbas, GF in prison for at least 15-20 years.

Good attitude B. You might be a teenager but I completely agree. You will grow up to be a successful adult one day, and these punks will still be in prison.

yes, because only north shore brats think they can get away with it, while kids from other suburbs who do stupid things know they'll get caught, so it's not as bad.

What "higher standard" would that be exactly? These young men were charged with THREE FELONIES as adults. This means that they are not treated as juveniles, and can go to prison for what they did. They're old enough to know right from wrong, and what they did was wrong.

If they didn't want their faces in the paper or on the Net, they ought not have committed the crimes.

Thank you to The Patch for keeping the Public informed.

You have to be kidding me. That is the least of their problems right now. They were man enough to plan and commit 3 felonies. One of them had a firearm. Patch posted their mugshot, as did the Chicago Tribune, and Tribune local. Don't do the crime if you can't do the time.

17 or 27 is enough to charge them and run their names and photos.

You're right, Gojo, boys will be boys. If they make bond, no reason for anyone in the public to know what they look like or who they are. Their privacy comes before public safety or the First Amendment. If there is any karma, your home will be burglarized someday by young punk and you will be looking down the barrel of their weapon while they decide what to do with you.

good argument chilawyer, I also think anyone who disagrees with me should have bad Karma and deserves to be punished by violent crime.

You are sooooo wrong. Posting their pictures will with any luck be a deterrent to any others contemplating breaking the law. I agree with B's comment. North shore kids get off easily because money buys good attorneys. This is probably part of the problem. Perhaps they thought if caught nothng would come of it but a fine and probation. If this happened in the inner city these "boys" would be locked up for years.

SHAME. THESE KIDS DESERVE WAY WORSE

I completely disagree - they are no different than the pictures of any other teen criminal - The entitlement of the North Shore is killing the children - i believe you need to wake up out of the fairy tale you are living in - There are HUGE issues with the kids these days - and it is this Denial and Secrecy that is only feeding the problems. We need to Put it Out there in Full View - and maybe just maybe the denial begins to break - i have consulted with many professionals and the consensus is the biggest problem is the parents and home life - and how absolutely in denial they are - I think EVERY story needs to be told !

@jane you clearly haven't taken a look at the situation. these children are more than likely innocent, so why humiliate them?

You may be right, but sometimes teenagers do crazy things to impress their friends, or just because they think they can, as somebody above posted.

As far as a wakeup call, wakeup call is getting a local ordinance ticket for curfew. This is way beyond wakeup call. When you commit a burglary with a gun, you are looking at prison time. Some people will surely try to protect these kids, but this is a serious crime no matter how you spin it. These criminals may not have understood how serious this one when they came up with their harebrained scheme, but that does not matter.

Do you know the parents?

Shame on you for jumping to conclusions......

Shame on you Shelly Sachs...You have no idea what the parents have been doing for their children.

actually it was drug related. i know the person's house they broke into. and they were in a fight over drugs.

The police stated that the house was "targeted". I don't think the "boys" were looking for an Easter candy stash. Wake up Shelly. There is a huge drug problem here. Kids have the dollars to spend on drugs and do. Not ALWAYS the parent's fault.

It's not surprising that you guys know the most. As i said, this is a kid who has been looking for attention for a while...even those who didn't even know him knew he needed help. I do know the parents and I do know how difficult it can be to admit that your kid needs help. Despite that, shame on us parents who deprive our kids the help they need because we avoid or deny the truth. Very, very sad.

Shelly Sachs you claim to know the parents? Saying hello at a baseball game 5 years ago is not knowing the parents...You have no idea the help they have given or any first hand knowledge of either family.. No one saw this coming

Sam, it seems you are describing mental illness in your post about Joe. Maybe there is a combination of addiction and bipolar issues here. No matter if prison or counseling is his future, I believe these forums serve a higher purpose in that we are all getting educated about the actual mental health problems that we can be faced with. I can understand your concerns about school.

Do you know them Kurt? Do you know what they have been doing for their child?

If you dont, do not cast stones......I am sure you are far from perfect.

shame on you kurt

They could have been going to collect on a debt as well, or any of 100 other possibilities. Fact is, no one knows the whole story at this point. Wild speculation isn't going to serve anyone.

If you are referring to the victim, you are dangerously close to libel there by calling him/her a drug dealer without specific knowledge. The police were called to the residence. I doubt someone dealing drugs would call the police, though you certainly see some stranger things.

While none of us know "the rest of the story" its clear there is more to this then a simple botched burglary by teenage kids. Im sure over time the facts will be published.

WHAT???? Drug dealer??????? Where do you get that from?????

I don't agree with the posts that speculate on motive or their families. I don't think its fair to always blame the parents. In some cases, parents do the best they can and children still do not turn out the way we plan. In other cases, it is a failure in the parenting department. Unless you personally know all those involved, its not fair to jump to that conclusion.

I do think its strange whenever teens commit serious crimes around here, there is a group of parents that immediately jump to the kids aid, posting on patch and facebook that they are such good children, blah blah blah. I also find that these same people have very different reaction when they read about teenagers committing similar crimes on the South and West side of Chicago.

These kids have not been tried or convicted, but unfortunately for them, the facts do not look good. Personally Im glad the majority of the community reacts with outrage when teenagers commit multiple felonies while armed with a gun. Furthermore, when you commit such an act, you certainly open yourself up to public ridicule, so I don't feel bad at all about those, including myself, who also like to make jokes at their expense. Remember, the good guys in this story are the police, not Norris or Mahoney.

Harry, very well said. it's weird how many people know exactly what happened. You'd think it would have been better planned with all these insiders who knew what was going on.

HARRY you are totally out of line how would you feel if the teal bandits broke into your house and took your children's house league trophies? these kids are dangerous and they need to be stopped. a minimum security prison will simply not do the jobs. thats what these kids want! SHAME ON THE PARENTS

As a concerned DHS mom, I agree with Rich Isaacson and commend him for having the chutzpah to share his true feelings about the matter!!!! What if the teal bandits, or any other colored bandits for that matter, broke into your house, Harry? Would YOU be reacting the same way?

Harry: you must remember who the REAL victims are. What if your kid woke up at 7 in the morning staring down the barral of a shotgun. Picture that for a second. Would you be reacting the same way?

@concerned DHS parent, I am also a DHS parent. No one here, including Harry, and I don't know Harry, is saying that these kids should not be held accountable for their actions. But what Dick Issacson is doing is telling everyone that he is the judge and jury which is not how we do things in the USA. That makes Mr. Issacson more dangerous to our community than these kids ever were.

If people like STEVE S. were running our country, murderers would be roaming the streets. IT is stubborn people like who simply spread hate on local news blogs and short down valued opinions such as the ones that Rich Isaacson brought up. my advice, learn the facts, and study up on the judicial system before blabber like an idiot

Robin Levitz, your lack of intelligence and poor reading comprehension is showing right through. I know enough about the judicial system to know that Dick Issacson is not the judge and jury of this particular case. And no, I do not and never did condone the actions of these kids nor do I want murderers on the streets where I live, AND if these kids are convicted of the crime they have been accused of, I am all for the punishment that will be carried out. Unlike you, I do value the justice system that obviously you need to read up on yourself to learn that punishments are not decided until the perp in CONVICTED in a COURT OF LAW and not just because Mr. Issacson or you think that we should bypass the legal system. I have all of the same facts that you do, so if you are withholding some, please by all means let them out. As I said before, Issacson stated that his child knew of this incident from facebook before it happened, did you know this as well? If so, you could've prevented a crime by offering all of the facts to the police.

uh, sorry. DISAGREE...this kid was KNOWN to his school peers...really? the parents "missed" it. NOT. They chose to ignore it.

Ummm...LCSWShelly...if I am reading your name correctly; you are a licensed clinical social worker. I feel horrible for anyone that you treat. Something was missed here. If these boys were known for trouble with the school and the police, I am 99% sure that they were receiving help. I do know one of the parents, and I know they would do anything for their children! I don't believe they chose to ignore it; I believe that when children are in deep whether because of wanting to be bad or doing drugs (which if you know anything about this community, then you know that drugs are sold in the back by the fence) and there were recent reports of kids driving to the west side to buy heroin, then unless these boys get locked up and some serious psychological help, they won't learn their lesson. This month is Mental Health Awareness Month...this is one area that keeps getting lost in politics. Please parents, teachers, community members etc, watch for the signs for your children or your children's friends. Mental Health is important to be aware of, thank goodness nothing bad truly happen that would lead to more than three felonies. Would you say that the parents ignored something if they decided they were being bullied and shot up a place? Again Mental Health Awareness!!!!!

Hey, LCSWshelly - having a troubled kid doesn't mean the parents missed it. Deerfieldresidents comment was that even good parents raising their kids the right way may have a stray who's beyond their help. Despite what you thin you read in the paper and what the kids peers say, do you know firsthand the parents weren't doing all they could?
Stop reading article and imputing your own facts, it doesn't help anyone or anything

Doesn't matter....I would like to know where you have gotten your information. In all the articles that I have read it didn't say that. Also the first person who was arrested was not Josh.

Has anyone in this entire feed ever heard the saying "walk a mile in my shoes"? How can anyone know what truly goes on in someone else's house/family? Opinions are fine, but pointing fingers without actually knowing all the facts is not productive. Why don't you all leave the judging to the court system and the shrinking to the shrinks! As for your comments LCSW, shame on you! Really, forming such strong opinions without listening to both sides? You must have missed the class on impartiality and compassion.

I am willing to wager she is far from perfect too Kurt.

and I am also willing to wager, you dont know everything she is doing.......but if you want to believe you do, keep your head in the sand while you throw stones.

Amen!!

amen

this isn't the act of a spoiled kid, it's the act of a trouble one. And what impact should living in deerfield have made? Every city, everywhere, has troubled kids and adults alike, maybe fewer in cities like Deerfield, but living there can have a negative impact as well if you can't find your place to fit in. Not easy to keep up with the Jones' on the North Shore

For real?

this is wrong kids arent doing heroin at dhs get your facts straight and stop unnecessarily scaring people

the truth:
you ever hear of oxycontin? its use is rampid in america. call the school dist and see how many times they hear about it in our schools. now i never said they were doing drugs, my comment is to inform parents of this drug. it nasty $ # ! T.

To the truth...yes unfortunately there are kids doing heavy drugs at DHS. I know of students who got into real trouble with it and were removed from school because of it. Maybe you don't hang out with that crowd but it is happening. Watch the changes of students/children; know the signs, and be aware. They might not be calling out for help around their parents, but get access to your child's Facebook Account and it will be there or try talking to your kids, and remind them that no matter what you will be there for them through right or wrong. Drinking happens, pot happens, and heavy drugs happen in this community. Think about the accident that killed two or three people during homecoming about six years ago...guess what drinking was going on there and the boys left to get some more drugs and or booze for the party.

yes it is my name mike. i used my last name not just my first like you

I stand by my kid.

Besides the fact that you're threatening a fellow community member on a community news website, you are also immature Spencer. How about we just all make sure this doesn't happened again and not pick internet fights like 12 year olds.

Spencer, the only way you would know this is a fact is if you went to said house and purchased drugs. Is this the case? Otherwise arent you just making the same assumptions you said others shouldn't make? Also, whether the victim is the head of a mexican drug cartel or an ordinary citizen, it is still illegal to break into their home carrying a gun.

Spencer: Both Mahoney and Norris have been charged with home invasion, residential burglary and possession of a stolen firearm!!! And what if it was a drug house? That gives them the right to do why they did? And by the way, I would know if my 15 year old daughter was into things that she shouldn't be into. We as parents have given her a good foundation on which to build on. Therefore, she has chosen to work, engage in sports and volunteer. These kids have choices and they can decide to do right and be productive individuals in our society or believe that society owes them something and try to take it criminally. Like the saying goes... You play, you pay!

You are obviously an immature, selfish kid. You've chosen to respond to this issue by putting down their 7 AM fashion choice, laughing at the boys who are now criminals (because it's funny that they've ruined their lives) and ultimately hope that this whole mess of a situation, which has the potential to destroy at least two families, doesn't have a negative impact on the lives of you and your friends, because of how much smarter than them you are. Well done!

Oh Greg, lay off! Deerfield Teen was stating an opinion. By the way, the two masterminds were pretty lax in their planning. Deerfield Teen sees these two goofs in school and sees them for what they are. You and I do not know these teens and we do not have to deal with them in a social setting like Deefield Teen. She obviously has seen them act like morons and/or be disruptive. They may act a certain way that is perceived to be bullying in nature and so they don't get sympathy from their peers. Whatever the reasoning, Deerfield Teen is stating an opinion and I will agree that the two goofs messed up big time. I will also agree that the two criminals getting arrested is a wake up call for their peers who may be considering the same choices. Deerfield Teen sees it and so will others.

Why are so many of your concluding that this is drug related? There is no mention of drugs in ANY of the facts published by Patch or the tribune. It may be, or may not be, but let the investigation continue.

To all the teens jumping to these kids defense, its time to wake up. The circumstances don't matter. To paraphrase our Vice President, this is is a big f@#$%ing deal. It doesn't matter what these kids were going through and it doesn't matter who the victims where. This is a very serious crime and 2 teens have thrown away their chances to ever live up to their potential. Honestly, Joe is lucky to be alive, as the homeowner would have justified using deadly force to protect his family. I promise however bada$$ you think you are, you are really not, and as Joe and Josh can now attest, a deerfield tough guy isnt anything in the county lockup. Joe was a real tough-guy when he ratted out his friend within an hour of being arrested. If you are coming onto this web site to defend these guys as your friends, consider that your first warning that something isn't right in your life. I got into my share of trouble in high school, but if one of my friends did something like this, they wouldn’t be my friend any more.

I see you fall into the they are just boys camp, and we should keep coddling them into they get better. This is far beyond stupid teenage hijinks.

While I think you are correct that prison isn't the best system to change behavior in a 17 year old, it is good to remember that if this was a black kid in Chicago nobody would bat an eye. And it is a black kid in Chicago, many times every day.

"The gun issue is a curiosity thing for young boys. . . "

Sure, no big deal. Tell it to the Colorado movie massacre survivors.

I agree, kids outside of Chicagoland have great respect for guns - because that's what they were taught when growing up. Now you all see what happens when you don't teach your children how to deal with and handle firearms in a safe manner - to be used for hunting, defensive, or target shooting only.

That said, I'd fully expect a young man of 17 yrs old to know right from wrong, to realize that someone could get killed with a firearm, and to realize that he himself could get killed if he chose to rob someone or invade their home.

IF this young man truly didn't, then he's either an incompetent imbecile (in which case he's not fit for trial), insane (again, not fit for trial), or on "something" (no excuse if he took it voluntarily, get sober, go right to trial).

Somehow I haven't gotten the impression that he was an incompetent imbecile - a troublemaker perhaps, but not incompetent. That leaves "insanity", "on something", or he was fully cognizant of what he was attempting to do.

Let's assume he was cognizant: What was the intent? Just being a teenage idiot and wanting to "scare" the guy, the gun wasn't loaded, it was a joke, yadda yadda yadda? OK - it's a REALLY BAD idea kid, you're gonna have some legal ramifications, but maybe you won't go to prison.

If it was with malice and forethought: Oy. Now you've got a lot of potential ramifications....

We have to wait to see how this all plays out in Court.

Don't agree or disagree with what you said, but you are assuming that the gun was loaded. The fact that these are felonies is lessened if the gun was empty and the intent was to scare someone. Then it goes from heinous crime to Very poor choice. Plus, it was one act, the fact that there are multiple felony charges is irrelevant. Should be one charge of Felony stupidity.

no greg, actually that is not the case. it doesn't matter if the gun was loaded in the eyes of the law. it also doesn't matter to me. if they pointed a loaded or loaded gun at at armed individual, either homeowner or police, they would have been shot.

i was actually the victim of a robbery where the perp. told me he had a gun. it turned out he really was not armed, but he was still tried and convicted for armed robbery, because he had told me he had a gun (and also admitted he did this to the police.) The whole presence of a weapon, either loaded or not, or even just implied, really ups the ante of the situation.

each of them have 150k, so they pay 10% as Kurt points out. Or they get a bail bondsman and they put up some collateral, like their house.

They have to post $15,000 and pledge any collateral to the bondsman for the rest. Some people pledge their homes (or used to in the days when people had home equity).

Jacob,

Good point. Can you tell us if the suspects have bonded out of Lake County Jail yet?

...and empathy should have no economic, racial or geographic boundary. These Deerfield boys will probably make bond, have paid lawyers and start the process of re-starting their lives. On the South and West side of Chicago parents are getting together bus fare to go see their sons through dirty glass on visiting day at 26th and Cal. I hope these boys don't blow the luck they've been given.

Best comment written of them all. Put yourself in the parent's shoes or siblings, grandparents etc.
It's very easy to throw stones at someone else.

Agreed, if found guilty, even if negotiated down to a misdemeanor, they should do time, at least 90 days.

Stop playing the "nice guy" card, as you always seem to do, harry. Does sticking up for armed felons qualify as "doing things for the children in our community"?????

instead of focusing your efforts on defending these bandits, why don't you focus your efforts on making sure they end up in a jail cell and our of our children's schools.

do YOU want one of these kis in your child's class next year?

Leave Harry alone. Why shouldn't someone be allowed to play the nice guy card if he or she wants. You should stop playing the "I'm always right and Harry is always wrong card". If you have a view in the matter, speak it by all means but why can't Harry have a view as well? It's Harry's view by the way that will make the world a better place one day, not yours which will continue to divide the community. I know your children are perfect and have never done anything wrong purely because of your incredible parenting skills, but if something ever does happen, it's comforting to know that Harry will be there to support you regardless of the situation. Thanks Harry, for being kind, please don't change.

AMEN concerned dhs mother. AMEN.

Well said

I'm glad you made this point. I assume you know all the details about the crime since you are so quick to pronounce guilt (on both kids) because when I read the story about the break in, it states that "the person" not "the people" fled the house and that the second kid is being accused of helping plan the event. That there's a chance the second kid may not be involved at all. Whether he's the type of kid who you can imagine doing that or isn't, is irrelevant. A 17 year old, or anyone for that matter, whose picture is in the paper with these accusations will be looked on as a bad egg and guilty forever, even if it proves not to be true. I have no problem with holding off on the names and pics until the police and prosecutors who have actually reviewed all the facts deem it appropriate.

"It's our job as Americans to read the paper and repeat what we've read as if their our own thoughts" - Team America

Greg , Point taken, However, I still feel when accused of these types of possibly very violent crimes, the public has the rite to be forwarned of the possibility of what these teens are capable. An ounce of prevention is still better than a pouind of cure. Better to stifle this and keep these kids alive and the public safe, rather than brush this under the carpet and prtetend it didn't happen just to preserve the rites of the accused.

I heard a great saying, Your rites end, when they endanger the rites of others.

I do agree that the publication of pictures and charges with names and ages can be damaging to the accused reputation. I do feel these stories should be followed through to the end. They should follow the trial and report the outcome. And should these kids be exonerated, the news media should be mandated to report their innocence with as much publicity as they have thier arrest.

I only know of this happening once and that was at the Atlanta Olympics. When the specatator that was near Coca Cola Plaza was arrested as the person who planted the Bomb that exploded there. The media upon demand of the individuals attorneys did publicly and with the same effort reported his innocence. That is justice.

I am sure this was a huge moment of stupidity on these kids parts and they could grow up to be fine young men. But until that happens we deserve to know that this stupidity exists. And so close to home. It is about keeping the public safe.

Oh and while I am speaking, What I said about how they should be dealt with... That is based on if they are found guiilty. They should be made examples of if they are guilty. They do have a rite to prove their innocence. But I do not believe the police were so eager to make an arrest that they just plucked this kid off the side of the road and threw the book at him. And Hmmm how did they find out about the other kid??? Maybe from the first one??? Do the Math Greg. This is why I get so pissed off about these things, Common sense has taken a vacation. Perhaps if there were stronger penalties and consequences both in the judicial system, and at home, there would be considerably less of this. But since we have managed to make it impossible to discipline kids these days, we are getting what we deserve. Right from Wrong is not being taught with near enough emphasis anymore, and of course anything that taught moral behaviour is being banned in the workplace and the schools because it is not everyones belief. There was much less of this type of crtime when there was an active moral majority and right from wrong was taught at home and in school. Gee, Common sense yet again get's ignored.Wehave to cater to everyones rites, trying to make everyone, and especially all voters happy don't we? Sometimes the best thing for the majority is going to be unpopular. But it remains the best thing to do. To bad we cannot fiond a leader who has the guts to do this.

And the police will always throw multiple charges at the wall to see what sticks.

Didn't Father Flannigan run "Boy's Town"? And was that not a home where they taught boys right from wrong? Wasn't it founded to keep boys from going down the wrong path? No there are no bad kids. Just misguided ones and ones who think they know better than their peers. Yes kids can be stupid. But they also have the ability to know right from wrong. And it appears wrong was chosen and justified for some misguided reason. Apparently this situation happned because the idea of the consequecnce for the action did not strike enough fear to prevent this from happening. The consequence is supposed to be the deterent and what is supposed to cause a person to think. Yes this was probably a case of waking up getting together with his friend and deciding they were going to go teach this other person or persons a lesson. And they thought this was the way to do so. So yes let's just take the ever so passive role and say Oh poor kids, they made a bad choice!! Does this send a message and if so what is that message? One that says bad idea, or one that says oops they screwed up and got caught! They better plan better next time! When did this country become so whimpy? When does this type of behaviour motivate us to say "NO MORE" Taking the path of least resistance was not how this country became a great country and it has lost that title now. Do we want it back? Well if we do, then it starts at home. Right here. And we need to get our backbones back!

and wasn't father Flannigan part of the same church that ignored moral right from wrong when they ignored priests molesting children? Or perhaps those priests were asked not to teach morals that day.

Father Flannigan is wrong. Some people are just inherently "bad". Not every criminal is mentally or emotionally ill, though many bleeding hearts think otherwise. Some lack empathy which is not an illness but a character flaw.

I don't think it's so much a matter of understanding the law as it is realizing the severity of the consequences or more common, how easily something that sounds good can end up out of control. For all we know the gun wasn't loaded and the kid just wanted to scare the s#*t out of someone, not thinking how badly this could turn out (I didn't say it was a smart idea and yes, I know this is a huge leap). It's like the person in line at the airport who thinks it's funny to joke about a bomb not realizing how serious they take it, or perhaps the adult who's positive they're fine to drive after a few drinks, but legally has just committed manslaughter when they can't react quickly enough to avoid the 8 year old who darted into the street to get their kick ball. Sometimes knowing something and thinking it through are mutually exclusive of one another. Problem is, you never know which person made the mistake and will never do anything like it again and which person will walk into the school and start shooting the next day.

I have been fortunate enough to know several of the members of the Highland Park Police Department - I have no doubt that they did their due diligence before taking mug shots of the accused and before the States Attorney charged them as ADULTS with three felonies.

How would the Police know WHO to be looking for if they hadn't talked to the victim that called the Police? They found a long gun in the ditch along 22 by Ridge Road - that's likely going to have fingerprints on it, and it's not a stretch of the imagination that an arresting officer would say "Hey - did you toss that over there? Is that yours?" and get some kind of response out of the accused that indicated it was. I'd even heard from a few people that the Police saw one of the accused toss the gun.

As an adult, you get charged with a crime, it's public knowledge. No need to delay it, in fact you wouldn't want to delay it at all because it's a slippery habeaus corpus type issue. If someone's been charged, but no one is able to find out about it - how do you locate your friend, loved one, or fellow citizen who's in jail? How long do you delay? 1 second, 1 hour? 1 day? 1 week? 1 month? Does it depend upon the crime? How do you justify the delay for one crime and not another? The easiest and simplest thing is to release the information immediately upon arrest and charging with a crime. If they're found not-guilty, make motions for expungement, and the rest of it will fade away on it's own.

David - the argument wasn't against what happened or how it happened, the police may have done their due diligence, as I admitted, I have no idea what has and has not been done, my argument is against the mob mentality that this person has displayed.

his quotes "Hang them out to dry publicly. It's time we stop being so damm namby pamby in this country. There needs to be strict and tough consequences for actions against the public safety and well being." was made without any regards to the process that had taken place, just a blanket statement about how he feels the moral majority would want things. My point is that it's ignorant to make blind statements on how to handle situations none of us has any real information on.

"My point is that it's ignorant to make blind statements on how to handle situations none of us has any real information on." - I agree with this point. We need to wait and see what comes out of the Court case.

I, Rich Isaacson, will take the lead. First things first. If you want to discuss "humanity", the only humane solution is that these two criminals rot in a prison cell for a VERY long time. While all of us "go at it like cats and dogs", the teal bandits should be treated no better than a cat or a dog. They must be locked away in a 8X8 cage in order to protect our children. The children must come first and you, standards, and everyone else here, must never forget that.
protecting our children comes first.
SHAME ON THE PARENTS

I, Steve, would like to protect my kids from people like Dick Isaacson.

And the teal bandits haven't even been to court and Dick is presuming guilt and deciding their punishment. Maybe Dick should consider moving to Iran, I think their laws would suit him well.

@Steve S. your immaturity is showing immensely. these kids deserve the worst. nothing more nothing less. all of this irrational defending saying something along the lines of they should be "allowed on the streets free of punishment" is nothing short of absurd. i hope you think more about your words before you type them

lets get steve S removed from this site!!!! whose with me!!

!!!!!

what's the significance of the gun being stolen from a home in Deerfield?

KURT YOU ARE SIMPLY OUT OF LINE. THESE KIDS ARE DANGEROUS SHAME ON YOU FOR DEFENDING THEM

Dick Issacson, YOU ARE SIMPLY OUT OF LINE, In the USA we have a justice system. Let it do it's work and stop judging people with your own warped sense of the law.

Cathy please tell me you are kidding. the only thing that must be done is that we "pray with our religious leader" that these kids are locked up for a very long period of time. #SHAMEONTHEPARENTS

Shame on Dick Issacson for not only thinking he is the judge and jury, but for not allowing others to share compassion if they wish. #SHAME ON DICK ISSACSON.

#SHAMEONSTEVE. S FOR MAKING A MOCKERY OUT OF THIS WHOLE THING

Concealed carry now, in Illinois. This is a prime example of WHY it's necessary - despite living in a 'good, safe' area, stuff happens, and one has to be prepared to deal with it, if and when it happens.

If those criminals broke into your house - what would you do?

Yup, better get that law passed and get those guns in the schools as soon as possible. So when a student grabs one of the teacher's guns that she has not properly secured and starts shooting students, it will not be the fault of the law, it will be the fault of the teacher. She was properly trained.

Walter, your sensationalist tactics are certain getting quite extreme. A similar topic was discussed in another thread. It's ALREADY permissible under the Federal Safe Schools Zone Act - IF, the District decided it was something they wanted to do, then all they have to do is contract with someone to carry a firearm - that "someone" could be a security guard, teacher, or a custodian as the District sees fit.

To prevent the potential for accidental acquisition of a firearm, I believe it'd be a reasonable requirement that those contracted or permitted to carry, kept their firearm concealed upon their person.

Sensational, extreme, and dangerous. I agree.

i agree. imagine this happening to you! scary stuff

One of the teens actually did...I don't recall if they mentioned it in the TribLocal for Deerfield and Highland Park. They entered with the gun through an open window on the first floor, and got out when one of the residents walked in and scared them off by exiting the window. The long gun was with that person. They also mentioned that the gun was stolen from a Deerfield home. I agree that everyone deserves a second chance, but I think they need some serious mental health assistance to understand what has led them to this extreme level, especially if they have gotten in trouble at school and else where.

Steve,

C'mon, not "everyone". Surely you agree the Colorado Movie Massacre killer should never be allowed out to go to the movies (or anywhere else).

They entered the house. I went thee and saw the kids muddy footprints everywhere. They tried to steal a computer and the dropped it, then one of the kids screamed and josh and joe ran away. They broke their front door and window, also trashing the house. They came inside with the gun and pointed it at a 14 year olds face.

Doesn't matter, I would really like to know where you are getting all of this information. I am looking through the pioneer press, lake county sun, and the local trib and see none of this information! How in the world do you know all this? Why and how would you have access to the house if they only gave a partial address?

Well doesnt matter....I find your facts interesting. I am going with you are friends with the family who was going to be robbed. However, giving information about a case that is pending in the legal system is not the smartest either, because whether they are guilty; by our Constitution they are incident until proven guilty and they have a right to a fair trial. That being said...how would you know when they were planning it, the victims would not be given that information by police. I find it just strange...and either way I would think as a friend you would keep this information underwraps so that the trial is not impacted in anyway. Further more, I stand by the article that stated Josh was not arrested first. Therefore to call him a psychopath and you don't know him is just crazy! I never stated that I believed you were a cop either. I just find it very curious that you know way more than the public knows and you are sharing it as well with a community forum.

Doesn't matter - Im not a cop or a lawyer, but I advise you to not give out any further details on the case. As a curious community member I certainly appreciate the additional details. However, let the police release they information as they see fit. This is still an active investigation and unwittingly you could be making it harder for them.

Hey Doesn't Matter don't you think you should have told the family what was about to happen? Sounds to me your running a smoke screen there was no computer involved something else was on the minds of the people involved and it will come out. Stop running cover for what was really in that house....Sounds like your trying way to hard to sway opinion on what they were really after....and many people know the truth...

Doesnt matter first you should not speak to people the way you did. As a matter of fact no one should and most people are because we are scared and don't understand why this happened. How could any of us miss this? Further, if you spoke with Joe and Josh right before they did this, and did not say anything thing then you can be an accessory to the crime. Think about that...you knew that this was planned and said nothing to anyone, especially if you are friends with the victim...that's sad on many levels and I would not consider you a friend of either the victim or the accused. I agree with Ronniethelimodriver...stop sharing information in which the Highland Park Police Department has not released. Because some of your information is different then what is reported in the paper such as the computer...they left because a victim in the house showed up. Furthermore, while you are defending the victims it sure is interesting that most people have posted that the house is a known drug dealer for kids.

Hey Doesnt Matter please stop your making a fool of yourself..No Computer was involved if there were and it went down like you say it would be evidence and at the police station. I know your a kid and maybe even the kid that lives in that house but you sound foolish..all your doing is proving my point that you are running cover for what was really going on in that house...

I think we all need to brush up on the facts. Both Joe Mahoney and Josh Norris are repeat violators of marijuana laws. It has been announced to the public that they entered the house with intentions of robbing the drug dealer of his "stash." Shortly before the break-in, my son told me that Mahoney posted on the Facebook the following statement: "It's time to do business n****z, im finna get back at this b***h"

It is not unrealistic to believe that Mahoney was referring to the armed robbery of a perfectly peaceful and innocent drug dealer in this Facebook post. If this were to occur in a suburb other than one on the North Shore, these young criminals (armed and dangerous, to boot) would be facing serious time in a maximum security prison. Shame on the parents.

@Dick Issacson. So you are saying your son knew of this crime or the possibility of it prior to the act? Why did you or your kid call the police, you knew the kids, you seem to know their history and know you are saying the crime was announced before it happened. You and your son are accomplices in a sense you are GUILTY of not preventing this crime. Your child should be locked up for a long time for his obvious lack of judgement in not reporting to authorities what could have been prevented. Shame on your parenting skills Dick.

is this Steve S guy a joke?

YES.. glad I'm not the only one who noticed. feels so tough behind a computer screen. i wish people like him were out of my town. coming across as a big shot lawyer with nothing but BS to back it up. def a 5th grader

So your kids are next with an attitude like that.....

If my kids tried to rob a house with a gun they would still be in jail. Keep defended the losers.....thats why theynare losers becuase of people like you. Dont enable them, dont protect them, what they need is a good beating.....old fashion yes.

Actually, no I wouldn't. If one of my kids stole a gun, then broke into a different house with said gun, I would still love them unconditionally but I would not defend them or their behavior. Not at 17. Furthermore, it starts being my business when somebody commits a serious crime in my community. Unfortunately then its everybody's business. Everyone of you that is defending these hooligans is only making matters worse. There has to be a line that nobody can cross. For me it beings with stealing a gun. This community is creating a bunch of baby-adults, forever stuck in adolescence and unable to take responsibility for their own actions.

Thank you c058s29s, that's what I've been posting yet people conjecture. I don't know the family and my heart goes out to them, please tell them at least some of their community has compassion and sends them strength for what's ahead. THeir lives are now forever altered, not just the boy's lives, and this is every parents worst nightmare.

Hey standards, do you have any compassion for the victim and their family? Does your heart go out to them for having 2 men break into their house with a gun? All this compassion is just so nice, too bad its pointed in the wrong direction.

Well said!

SHAME ON YOU. i REFUSE to send my kids to school with the "teal bandits" in the streets i reside in

shame

@Rich AMEN

off point but i agree woodfire rocks

honestly f*** off. my house was hit by the "teal bandits" a few months back. this is no laughing matter

Seems to be quite a few reports of trouble with these men on patch. Yet plenty of people still seem to say they "deserve a second chance."

TDC inc
Repspectfully we judge persons everyday. I will do so untilIi die. I surround myself with good people. I would not want this family near me. Sorry parents of these kid , nothing personal but i cant afford to be around you or your children and I mean that in a respectful manner. It is my right and responsibility to judge in order to protect my family. These kids could make bail and will return the the home, I am glad i'm not living next door.

ronnie has never been dispecpectful in his comments, the guy swore at him. he got what he deserved from ronnie. i have never been disrespectful in my comments and i bet more agree with me than not,
it's my job to protect my family, i have right to not live next to anyone i want.

Thanks Kurt. Some people do not react well when others disagree with them and feel the need to use foul language and call people names. I let my arguments speak for themselves.

Obviously you don't have anything better to do either. If you don't like it, don't read it and don't comment on it.

I hope this is a joke. Because if you are telling us that we in the United States of America should be learning from a country like North Korea, you are demented. Go live in North Korea and life will be great there for you.

Kim Jung-un runs a pretty tight ship over there, and if Mahoney and Norris resided in North Korea, do you think they would have committed the haynes crime that they did? Highly doubtful.
North Korea is by no means perfect, but we must remember to stay open-minded and to always continue learning from each other.

This is what Charles want's for America because of what happened with these boys:

Human Rights
Due to its isolationist nature, North Korea’s human rights record is difficult to evaluate. However, non-governmental organizations (NGOs), think tanks, and defectors continue to report that North Korea maintains a record of consistent, severe human rights violations, stemming from the government’s total control over all activity. Reported human rights abuses include arbitrary and lengthy imprisonment, torture and degrading treatment, poor prison conditions (including cases of starvation), forced labor, public executions, prohibitions or severe restrictions on freedom of speech, the press, movement, assembly, religion, and privacy, denial of the right of citizens to change their government, and suppression of workers’ rights. All sources of media, such as radio, television, and news organizations, are controlled by the government and heavily censored. Correspondence is strictly monitored and Internet use is limited to the political elite. Cellular phone access is limited to an internal network, but appears have grown to above one million users. However, international calls are only available to foreigners and the political elite. North Korea is ranked second-to-last on the World Press Freedom Index.
So Charles wants us to learn something from the country ranked 2nd to last on the World Press Freedom Index. Charles, you belong in North Korea, I will buy you the plane ticket

Thank you for proving my point, Steve. As stated earlier, North Korea is by no means perfect, and your paragraph did a great job of pointing that out.

According to Kim Jung-un (and previoiusly his father, Kim Jung-il) the crime rate in North Korea is the lowest in the world.

They must be doing something right, huh Steve S ?

Maybe its time to give some credit where credit is due.

That is assuming that they are telling you the truth..... Thank you for proving my point. Maybe we can learn something from Syria and the Nazi movement, they ran/run pretty tight ships as well. I will show up to ravinia for your public humiliation, it sounds like a fun evening.

how much does a plane ticket to north korea cost, now adays, steve?

I'm not sure if anyone knows how much that ticket would cost, because no one in their right mind would ever want to go there, exept for Charles.

except

i advise everybody to tune out STEVE S for he is spewing hatred on all levels, making up facts, and most importantly not putting the children and the families first. for him to have the balls (or lack there of) to use a gay slur is beyond me. he needs to get out of his basement and get some fresh air. this is about OUR KIDS. keep them away from steve s.

Robin, the only hatred that is spewing is coming out of you. Tell me the wrong facts that I have expressed. I will make sure you stay away from my kids and one day when your kids have a problem, I pray the world has some compassion for them. And I'm quite sure your balls are the biggest in town.

if only idiots like Steve S weren't allowed in these comment pages. he's probably a fifth grader having a lot of fun making things up!

And Kurt, if you were on the show, I'm smarter than a fifth grader, you certainly wouldn't make it too far. Please point out which of my comments have been made up. Work hard, your kids will need some counseling listening to you every day.

LOL all the public can do is laugh at morons like STEVE S. no opinion is right except his. i only with the parents of these poor kids were able to look at him face to face after reading his blasphemy wrongfully insulting and accusing their kids who are dealing with very rough times

this is ridiculous reading this. get this steve guy OUT OF HERE. like robin said i would love to see the parents of the children see this clown face to face after all of the false accusations that he has brought up. WHAT A JOKE

Trololololololol
0/10

Howard - wouldn't that make you someone who lives through the misery of others?

why does it matter where it was stolen from? it was stolen and then used to commit a crime.

The gun owner has a little problem, too. Failing to secure the firearm.

Ellen- That is jumping to conclusions. Indeed, that is possible. However if the gun owner had the firearm in a strongbox and the perps broke in, how is that the gun owners fault?

... you just went full retard. NEVER go full retard.

You come on here and say, oh look everybody i know something you don't know, nah nah, and then you tell me to go somewhere else to play? Please. You don't comment on the non sequiturs like obamacare and woodfire but you are worried about me. go home and get your shine box tommy.

let ronnie talk!!

shut up andrew. you and STEVE S from above need to be removed from this sight. that was one of the dumbest things i have ever read. we only know one thing for sure, and that is that you probably have very little friends

and you really think that you have the right to judge me? An adult, someone who is supposed to be an authority figure in our society, is insulting a minor about defending people? *I* believe that you have nothing better to do with your life then try to seem important by including yourselves in things that have nothing to do with you. SO, Walter P. YOU should be the one to SHUT THE F@#$ UP.

oh, and by the way Walter? the correct word you're looking for is SITE. not SIGHT. congratulations on having your grammar corrected by a 16-year-old

Andrew, you are obviously more intelligent and insightful as a 16 year old than Walter P. is a an adult, if that's what he is. Walter wants to speak his word and tell everyone else to shut up and be removed and then tell kids that they don't have friends. If you are going to start a revolution against me and/or Andrew, please go back to school and learn how to spell first, "sight" in this use is spelled "site".

Caps lock is cruise control for cool.

Social networking is turning our youth into fine adults, isn't it?

it makes sense that STEVE would back you up. he has been spamming this site and sitting on his ass in his basement commenting on EVERYTHING. for some people, the "Patch" is all they have, and steve is one of those people. andrew i know 7th grade was tough but as an esteemed lawyer, i can say i survived. 8th grade is tough but i am hopeful you will be able to cope. your selfish views on this matter are nothing short of offensive but Steve "lives in his mom's basement" S. will always be there to give you a hug. too both of you juvies... GET A LIFE

Andrew, don't be intimidated by Walter P., he is the offensive one and it's no surprise that he finds himself to be an "esteemed" lawyer. His comments and grammar show quite the opposite. This esteemed lawyer as he call himself, has to you to shut up, and tried to insult me about living in my mom's basement. Well Walter, it isn't working, you still sound like a moron. I'm picturing Walt as the "40 year old virgin". Sitting in a law office, not to many clients, not to many friends, angry at the world because he is esteemed yet somehow not reaching the success he has been striving for. I can't imagine there is a wife and kids in the picture because you are too bitter. Walt I won't tell you to shut up, I will tell you to keep talking as it is making Andrews comment look that much better. I will leave you alone now, I hear my mom calling me for breakfast from upstairs.

before you go to breakfast STEVE, may i remind you of a few grammatical and spelling errors you may have typed. The fragment: "This esteemed lawyer as he call himself" makes very little sense. "Call" should be replaced with "Calls". Also, further down in your 3rd grade level passage I noticed this: "not to many clients, not to many friends" this gave me a good laugh coming from Steve "grammatical basement man" S. considering that the difference between "to" and "too" is considered elementary level. before you bring up this case again I would advise you to rethink your life. If i had to estimate the amount of comments you have made on this article alone, we would be in triple digits. I really feel bad for you. hundreds of hours spent on PATCH, and you're still "not good at it". Not shame on you, I pity you and feel bad for you and the family that you have left for the comment section of the Highland Park Patch Comment Bar.

-Walter

Walter, there is a difference between a typo, and not knowing when to use the word site and sight. Don't be so upset, I'm sure your parents gave you the best education they could, it's never too late to back to school. I'm sure Andrew could teach you a few things if you're afraid you wouldn't make it though school a second time, it's obvious the first time didn't go so well. So go on and keep telling people to shut up, it's seems to make you feel smarter. My guess is the having not enought clients and friends comment got to you otherwise you wouldn't have gotten so angry again. You should rethink your life, Walter P., everything you say is offensive and in no way serves to better this community, I don't shame you either, and I don't have pity for you. I have pity for your parents who had to have you in their house while you were growing up, it must have been depressing for them, and if you have or had kids of your own, my guess is you don't have much of a relationship with them. Yes, I can guess too, and no the comments haven't made it up to triple digits yet, but if anyone is close, it's you Walter.

the last sentence saying i was closer to 100 comments than you proved your whole paragraph to be fraudulent. when your busy making a move on Andrew you must realize that at least 6 different people have laughed at you. you are making a joke of yourself and have commented more than any other account on this site X10. i am done turning myself into you. your fat ass could be on this site all day every day i can not keep up with that, hopefully somebody else that got you rattled will step in. goodbye steve. and to andrew, take his hint. he wants you man

Walt, I am glad that you will tune me out although I know you won't. No, I do not have any homosexual feelings for Andrew, but it's thoughtful of you to bring it up, fit's right in with your comments. And although I don't know Andrew, I know enough about him that he is smarter than you, the lawyer (ha), and has been raised by good parents.

You are correct when you say if these were African American kids, there would not be such an uproar, and that too is a shame. The kids need to and will be punished. What kind parent wouldn't have their kids back though? And especially up here on the North Shore where everyone says we can afford it. Even those south sider kids have their parents support when they mess up, why shouldn't these kids. It's tough talk to say you would abandon your kids, but when faced with the situation I'd be willing to bet you'd be right there at their side.

This is a very sensible option. There are programs at DHS and the junior highs that utilize the police and other professionals for this. there is a Deerfield Parenting network at the high school. Unfortunately, these programs are not always well attended.

After the cold war broke, records of the KGB and East German Stazi were discovered. Those bodies kept records on just about everything, and people still defected, committed crimes, etc. that they didn't know about.

My point is that even if the parents are doing their jobs, whether it's over-the-top KGB-style, or just staying in tune with what kids are doing/going, stuff can and will still slip by that they'll never even notice.

I don't know the parents, so I'm not about to blame them outright as being 'poor parents'. Regardless of the reasons - the two young men made some bad decisions - so put the blame where it belongs right now - on the accused.

shut up steve you are what they call a #troll. i have never seen anybody sit on their ass and comment on things like this more. get a life bro, patch isn't earning you a cent

Well Walt, this subject is a pretty important one and my comments have the same right as yours do to be on here, even though you just make comments on the commentors and not the actual subject. And yes when I type my comments I am sitting on my ass, it's difficult to do while I'm standing up.

at least you admit to having not much of a life outside of computer commenting. i really am just starting to feel bad for you

Walter, I really feel bad for you now, it seems like all you do in your life is read what I'm writing, I guess Walt doesn't have anything better to do either, go try to pick up some new clients Walt, I'm sure they are not knocking down the doors for your advice. I would tell you to retire and spend more time with your family instead of on a computer but I'm pretty sure they wouldn't like that idea, they would prefer to have you out of the house otherwise they have to listen to you telling them to shut up all of the time.

FLAME WARS! On A&E! :-) Get out my asbestos suit Ma!

Or if we dredge up the Flame Wars from UseNet in the early '80's, we could put it on the History Channel...

Arthur, glad you got sober - and here's to staying that way!

Yes, it's an outlier event on the North Shore, but home invasion is still a class X felony. And they should go straight to prison. No mickey mousing around, the State has said that a Class X is serious enough that there's a mandatory minimum sentence to send the message that we're "totally serious" about the severity of crimes subject to Class X felonies. See below:

"The Class X felony is, short of first degree murder, the most serious felony offense on the books in Illinois. Upon a finding of guilt, the court cannot sentence the defendant to probation. The offense has a mandatory minimum sentence of 6-30 years in the Department of Corrections. The judge must sentence the defendant to prison. See 730 ILCS 5/5-8-1(a)(3).

The only way a defendant can receive probation is if the prosecution agrees to amend the charge (e.g., by reducing the class of felony to a lower grade that allows probation). Because of the mandatory minimum sentence, the prosecution has all the power in negotiations.

Even a first-time offender who has no criminal background is subject to a mandatory prison sentence. It is not a matter of the judge’s discretion in sentencing." (source: http://www.criminallawyerillinois.com/2010/02/22/what-is-a-class-x-felony-in-illinois/)