Willie Nearn Sr. took the witness stand in his own defense Friday and said he knew nothing about the $50,000 price his company allegedly charged to fix a leaky toilet.
Nearn, 44, owner of Central Heating Sales, 4842 W. Diversey Ave., is accused of conspiring to sabotage an 82-year-old woman`s plumbing in order to convince her that she needed the $50,000 job.
But when he testified in Cook County Criminal Court, Nearn said he wasn`t aware of the job until his company`s workers were arrested in the woman`s Bridgeport home Sept. 10, 1984.
Nearn contradicted earlier trial testimony given by Arthur LaGace, 39, of 3410 N. Paris Ave. LaGace, who was guaranteed probation in exchange for his testimony, said that Nearn sent him to con the woman, Rose Rolek.
LaGace said that he and his brother, William, went to Rolek`s home, stuffed plastic garbage bags in a basement pipe and then offered to repair the pipe. Before the sabotage, Rolek`s only plumbing problem was a leaky toilet.
Nearn, though, said that ”I certainly did not authorize Art LaGace or anyone else to do what he said he did at Rose Rolek`s house.”
”Did you ever tell anyone to break anything?” asked one of Nearn`s lawyers, Marshall Hartman.
”No, I did not,” Nearn answered.
”Did you ever tell anyone to fix anything that didn`t need fixing?”
”Certainly not,” he said.
Nearn, of 4840 W. Diversey Ave., is on trial with his son, Willie Nearn Jr., 18, of the same address, and Ron Norton, 47, of 2751 W. 63d St. They are charged with criminal damage to property, conspiracy to commit criminal damage to property and conspiracy to commit theft.
LaGace had also testified that Nearn was present at a July, 1984, meeting, discussing ways to sabotage plumbing systems and then charge outrageous repair prices.
But Friday, Nearn, his sister and his former wife all said that Nearn was in Michigan during that week in July. ”I was never in any such meeting,”
Nearn said.
Nearn, who told the jury that he got extensive heating and air conditioning training while in the Air Force, also staunchly defended his teenage son. ”Willie Nearn Jr. had nothing to do with anything,” he said.
Nearn`s son was one of the men who was arrested while digging in Rolek`s basement; Norton allegedly helped convince Rolek to sign the $50,000 work order.
The trial, which is being prosecuted by Assistant Atty. Generals Patrick O`Brien and Joseph Locallo, continues Tuesday.
In a series of articles last month, The Tribune described how Illinois laws are often insufficient in dealing with unscrupulous home-repair contractors. An Illinois Senate subcommittee has since held hearings on measures to revamp the law.
