LaSalle County Coroner Rich Ploch says there’s no evidence that Jelani Day was attacked or hurt. Nor was there any sign of disease. Ploch says the 25-year old Illinois State University student drowned, although it’s not known why or how he got into the Illinois River.
He says Day’s body wasn’t in the best condition for a death investigation because of how long it had been in the water and how warm it had been. And he says there’s no specific test to confirm drowning. Rather, it’s determined by eliminating other possible causes.
Rainbow PUSH isn’t sending a bus from Chicago after all. It says a change in the Rev. Jesse Jackson’s schedule, some members being in Springfield for the General Assembly’s meeting, and the weather prompted a change of plans. The march could draw a lot of Illinois State University students. Jackson spoke at ISU last night.
He and a lot of ISU students believe Day was murdered. Jackson likens Day’s death to the murder of 14-year old Emmett Till, beaten to death for whistling at a white woman in Mississippi in 1955.
Update: Peru Police Chief Robert Pyszka says the caravan will start at the new police station at 2650 N. Peoria St. It will go north on Peoria St. to 36th St, east on 36th St. south onto Chartres St. in LaSalle to Shooting Park Rd., east on Shooting Park Rd. to Walnut St., south to 12th St., east on 12th St. to St. Vincent’s (Ill. 351) and south to the LaSalle river bridge. The caravan will then turn around and go north to 3rd St. (US 6), go west on Pine St, go south on Water St., and then go west stopping just west of the Peru river bridge. That’s where a prayer service will be held.