Legal Question in Criminal Law in Illinois

My son-in-law's father is blind and in his 70's and his (son-in-law) mother was recently diagnosed with Stage 4 lung cancer and given only a few months to live. Yesterday, we found a butcher knife hidden on the father's side of the bed. He did not use the knife but what should we do legally, other than hide all sharp articles and watch him? There has been past domestic abuse from this man, but nothing reported to the police.


Asked on 1/09/12, 8:50 am

1 Answer from Attorneys
Stephen Messutta

Under our system of laws, you have no legal obligation to intercede in this man's life, even if he is now somehow related to you through marriage..... For all you know he keeps the knife there in case of intruders because he does not believe in guns..... If you have a real concern you can raise it, and if there are medical/behavioral issues underpinning the behavior you can suggest various protective measures, including the possibility of a legal guardianship. So what is it you want to accomplish? Set some kind of goal and then the options will either fall in place or fall off the table.

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Answered on 1/12/12, 11:14 am


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