Rockford Man Facing 126 Charges Of First Degree Murder

Raheem King of Rockford, accused of killing three people on a party bus earlier this month, has a 135 count bill of indictment returned by grand jury.

According to WIFR, "Those charges include 126 counts of first-degree murder four counts of aggravated unlawful restraint and armed robbery as well as one count of aggravated vehicular hijacking."

That is some serious stuff right there. Now, if you're wondering how you can have 126 counts of first degree murder when you allegedly murdered three people, that is a good question. I am not really understanding it either.

“Because that’s what applies in this case,” Marilyn Hite Ross, chief of the criminal bureau in the Winnebago County state’s attorney’s office, said Friday. “We file charges that are appropriate in every case,” according to rrstar.com.

That really doesn't answer the question, for me anyway. How is 126 counts of murder appropriate for a triple homicide? Please, don't think I am on this guys side. I am just trying to figure out how this is acceptable.

Paul Cain, a clinical professor of law at Northern Illinois University, said prosecutors charge defendants with so many counts for a variety of reasons, such as the egregiousness of the offense or to send a message to the community.

“Part of it is your philosophy. Do you throw everything against the wall and see what sticks,” said Cain, who teaches a criminal defense clinic at NIU’s Zeke Giorgi Legal Clinic in Rockford.

Some prosecutors “want to send a message that we’re not going to tolerate this type of violence in the community. Charging somebody with 135 counts kind of sends that message,” he said according to rrstar.com.

I don't know. The more I hear the more messed up it sounds. So does triple homicide though. If he's guilty I hope he never sees the light of day again, but getting that many counts is weird.