BLOOMINGTON, Ill. (WMBD) — A Danvers man indicated to a McLean County judge that he wanted to represent himself against allegations that he killed a Bloomington woman.
Joshua Livingston, 41, of Danvers, appeared in McLean County Circuit Court on Tuesday for a status hearing where Circuit Judge William Yoder granted his request to go “pro se” which means to act as one’s own attorney.
The judge also said he would not appoint an attorney to “stand by” in case Livingston needed help to craft motions or to hone his defense.
That means Livingston is on his own against prosecutors regarding allegations he strangled 39-year-old Melissa Sue Ostrom who was reported missing on April 17. Her body was found a few days later.
Livingston faces several charges in the case including possession of a stolen vehicle related to vehicles stolen from an auto body business near Ireland Grove Road off of Veteran’s Parkway; meth possession, concealing a homicidal death and others.
He’s also going to represent himself in misdemeanor domestic battery case and burglary case.
Melissa Ostrom’s family was present in court on Tuesday. Her aunt Tami Bicknell said it’s Livingston’s right to represent himself but it now adds to the overall traumatic experience.
“It’s hard and just to have someone taken from you like that is horrible. And now the person who is accused of it gets to see all her crime pictures and everything,” she said.
Bicknell said if Livingston is found guilty beyond reasonable doubt she hopes that he won’t be able to get out of prison and hurt another person.
“I had some empathy for him and I still do. But it’s still not okay to do that to another person. No matter you have had happened to you it doesn’t give you permission to hurt another human being,” she said.
Livingston will next appear in court on Friday for a motion hearing where Yoder will hear arguments regarding several pre-trial issues. A date for his trial did not appear in McLean County Circuit Court online records.
