Christopher Vaughn Lawyer Wants Druid Talk Barred

The attorney for Christopher Vaughn wants to keep jurors in the dark about his client's supposed belief in Druidry when they hear how he allegedly shot his wife and three children to death.

Attorney Jay Varghesi argued during a Friday morning hearing that the Druid talk would be prejudicial to Vaughn.

Prior to the death of his entire family, Vaughn, 37, reportedly posted in an Internet chat on a Druid website that he planned to relocate to the Yukon and was looking for someone of similar beliefs to join him there.

Prosecutor John Connor maintained that Vaughn's alleged notion to take off for northwestern Canada is viable evidence that should be heard by a jury. He also was agreeable to deleting references to Druids and Vaughn's religious beliefs in order in order to get the message admitted.

Judge Daniel Rozak will rule on the Druid issue on March 30.

Vaughn was charged with killing his wife Kimberly Vaughn, 34, and their children — Blake, 8, Cassandra, 11, and Abigayle, 12 — in June 2007.

The family was heading from their Oswego home to a Springfield water park when Vaughn pulled off Interstate 55 and stopped on the frontage road outside Channahon and near Shorewood. It was there Christopher Vaughn murdered his wife and children, according to police and prosecutors.

Vaughn told detectives it was actually his wife who shot down their children, put a bullet in his leg as he fled for his life, then turned the gun on herself and committed suicide.

Christopher Vaughn reportedly explained to detectives that he had confessed to his wife about an extramarital dalliance, and that was what led to the unhinged Kimberly Vaughn's killing spree. Medication for migraine headaches also contributed to her becoming both homicidal and suicidal, officials said Christopher Vaughn told detectives.

Judge Rozak scheduled Vaughn's murder trial for Aug. 13.