Involuntary manslaughter charge dropped

URBANA – A special prosecutor today dismissed an involuntary manslaughter charge against former Champaign City Council member J.W. Pirtle, after Pirtle agreed to have a judge and not a jury decide if he's guilty of criminal housing management.

Champaign County Judge Heidi Ladd then continued Pirtle's case again to Aug. 30 after hearing from defense attorney Mark Lipton of Champaign and Michael Vujovich of the state appellate prosecutor's office that they are working on a set of stipulations that should streamline the evidence for Ladd to consider.

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