A mother and son who authorities say used pepper spray and duct tape to restrain the woman’s elderly, bedridden husband will be allowed a lengthy telephone conversation for the holiday, a judge ruled today.
Anthony Kelley, 40, and his mother Diane Kelley, 63, of Winthrop Harbor, are out on $50,000 bond each, awaiting trial in the incident that prosecutors allege occurred at their home on May 23.
Diane Kelley is also accused of hitting her husband, who suffers from dementia, with a book bag.
Anthony Kelley, the man’s son, was scheduled for a status of fitness hearing this morning, but it was delayed until Feb. 17. During a bond hearing he said he was training to be a Russian monk.
As a condition of their bond, the pair is not allowed to contact each other or the alleged victim. They are living separately, according to authorities.
“They can talk to each other to wish each other well over the holidays,” Judge Daniel Shanes said. He denied a request from Diane Kelly’s defense attorney, Martin Walker, for a holiday visit between mother and son.
“There are a whole host of issues in this case,” Lake County Assistant State’s Atty. Ryan Koehl said. “The co-defendant has fitness issues as well. I would object to a face-to-face meeting.”
Diane Kelley thanked Shanes for the phone call with her son.
“God bless you and have a wonderful holiday,” she said.
She is due in court on Jan. 12, when Koehl said a plea deal could be reached.