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"PITTSFIELD - Eleven months before former Pike County state&rsquo;s attorney Carrie Boyd filed felony misconduct charges against sheriff and coroner Paul Petty for letting a mortician embalm a body, she found no fault in his investigation.<br /><br />In certifying that she complied with discovery requests on June 19, 2013, Boyd wrote, &ldquo;There was no coroner&rsquo;s inquest in this case as there was no dispute as to the cause of death as determined by the examining pathologist and coroner.&rdquo;<br /><br />This May 16, she charged that Petty failed to perform a mandatory duty when he authorized embalming of Shanda Lopez, in 2012.<br /><br />On May 30, she reduced a charge against the suspect in Lopez&rsquo;s death, John Edgar, from drug induced homicide to involuntary manslaughter.<br /><br />Instead of seeking six to 30 years under the original charge, Boyd agreed that Edgar would serve no more time behind bars than the 353 days he had already served.<br /><br />Then she quit her job.<br /><br />Her charge against Petty stirred suspicion that she filed them to damage him for leading an investigation that embarrassed St. Clair County.<br /><br />Last year Petty attributed the death of St. Clair County judge Joe Christ to cocaine, and he obtained a confession of drug use from former judge Michael Cook.<br /><br />Cook now serves a two year sentence in federal prison for possessing heroin and using it while possessing firearms.<br /><br />Boyd and Petty won elections on the same ticket, Democrat, but by different routes.<br /><br />Voters elected Petty 16 years ago, on local popularity that began with football.<br /><br />Boyd ran for office two years ago, after she and husband Ryan Culton left Champaign.<br /><br />She told voters that since she started at University of Illinois law school, her focus was to return to Pike County and serve the public.<br /><br />Public records show Boyd and Culton left Champaign under economic pressure.<br /><br />In 2011, after Culton bought a home in Pittsfield, he filed a bankruptcy petition showing liabilities of $488,196 and assets of $255,552.<br /><br />It showed he made about $62,000 from an engineering firm, and she averaged $3,297 the previous six months as a self employed attorney.<br /><br />She no longer worked at a Champaign firm where online directories still place her.<br /><br />&ldquo;Spouse&rsquo;s income fluctuates,&rdquo; the petition stated.<br /><br />The petition showed student loan obligations of $132,004, and a $25,000 debt to the Internal Revenue Service.<br /><br />In March 2012, Boyd won the primary and Culton gained discharge from bankruptcy.<br /><br />The state labor department then hired Culton to lead the office that inspects carnival and amusement rides, making 50 percent more than what he made in private employment.<br /><br />Boyd won the November election.<br /><br />On March 10, 2013, Christ died in Michael Cook&rsquo;s hunting lodge.<br /><br />Twelve days later, Gov. Pat Quinn appointed Boyd to the Illinois Criminal Justice Information Authority.<br /><br />Boyd took no action in regards to Christ&rsquo;s death.<br /><br />Petty&rsquo;s file wound up 80 miles south, at the office of U.S. Attorney Stephen Wigginton in Fairview Heights.<br /><br />Wigginton and Cook agreed on an 18 month sentence, but District Judge Joe McDade of Peoria rejected the agreement in March and imposed 24 months.<br /><br />The case grabbed headlines again when Boyd charged Petty and quit.<br /><br />The Pike County board accepted her resignation on June 12, and appointed appellate prosecutor Matt Goetten to replace her.<br /><br />Boyd&rsquo;s charge against Petty still stands, but Goetten won&rsquo;t pursue it. Adams County associate judge Chet Vahle plans to appoint a special prosecutor.<br /><br />Edgar&rsquo;s plea agreement awaits approval of Circuit Judge Diane Lagoski, who plans a hearing June 26."^^<http://www.w3.org/2001/XMLSchema#string>
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