Talks fail to settle charges against mayor

Wednesday, May 25, 2005 | 9:26 a.m.

PEKIN, Ill. -- Prosecutors and attorneys for Pekin's mayor met for about an hour behind closed doors Tuesday but couldn't reach a deal on misconduct charges alleging the mayor used a city credit card to obtain more than $1,400 in cash advances last year at a riverboat casino.

Tazewell County Circuit Judge J. Peter Ault issued a gag order after prosecutors and defense attorneys failed to settle the case before a scheduled hearing Tuesday, the (Pekin) Daily Times reported.

"I apologize to the press. I know what your job is, but sometimes it can help if all parties have a cooling off period, so they can talk in private and the case can proceed," Ault said.

Ault scheduled another hearing for June 6.

Pekin Mayor Lyn Howard is charged with six counts of official misconduct that allege he used his city-issued credit card for cash advances on three separate occasions last year at the Par-A-Dice Casino in nearby East Peoria.