After about a week and a half since the trial began, the jury came to a decision on Wednesday, March 11, on the trial of Daniel Olaska and the death of NCC alumnus Shaun Wild.
The jury announced the decision Wednesday night. According to the Chicago Tribune, the jurors found Olaska guilty of first-degree murder of Wild. However, Olaska was not guilty of attempted murder of two other persons during the night of the incident on Feb 2, 2012. The two other stabbings involved Olaska stabbing NCC senior at the time William Hayes and Frankie’s Blue Room employee Rafael Castaneda.
The jury reached their verdict after only one day of deliberations.
Since the beginning of the trial on Monday, March 2, Olaska’s attorneys argued that Olaska acted out in self-defense after feeling threatened. Prosecutors argued that Olaska should be charged with first-degree murder and attempted murder.
Olaska did testify for himself at the trial on Tuesday, March 10. The Chicago Tribune reported in their paper on Wednesday, March 11, that during his three hours on the witness stand Olaska stated he feared he was about to be beaten before stabbing both Wild and Hayes.
Olaska also claimed that he was not thinking clearly and was in a haze the night he fatally stabbed Wild, and that his family did not help him “manufacture” memories that would help support his claim of self-defense. However some evidence was raised by the prosecutors of a recording of Olaska’s call to his father that night from jail. His father told Olaska to “manufacture” some new memories of the night. His brother-in-law also did something similar with a story of a case similar to Olaska’s.
Since the announcement of the trial’s outcome, North Central College issued a statement on Wednesday, March 11. The statement mentioned how the verdict was reached on Wednesday and talked about Wild. NCC reached out to Wild’s family, friends, fellow classmates, coaches, and many others and stated they will continue to be in NCC’s thoughts and prayers.
According to the Chicago Tribune, other events have changed since the incident on 2012. Bars now can no longer allow people to enter or re-enter the bar or buy drinks an hour before closing, non-craft beers were changed from 24 ounces to 22 ounces, and there are no last calls for shots. Also security guards for bars had to have additional training to their old training.
According to ABC 7 News, Olaska plans to appeal the guilty verdict and is due back in court for the appeal on April 9. Olaska now faces the penalty of life in prison.
