Former friend shares self-defense claim in Steger murder trial

A letter allegedly written by Richard Proctor, on trial for the 2020 stabbing death of 28-year-old Ryan Connell, claims he acted in self-defense while the two men were fighting.

The letter was read by former jail inmate Charles Miceli, who testified Thursday he was helping Proctor with his case until Proctor asked him to kill prosecution witness Hannah Kuckuck, one of the last people at Proctor’s apartment the night Connell died

In the letter, Proctor described Connell as “my brother and my family.” He wrote Connell started falling out of his chair due to intoxication.

“I went over and grabbed him and told Hannah, let him go. I got him. He’s my brother. I’ll take care of him,” the letter reads. “And Ryan was too heavy for me to handle by myself, even though Hannah could handle him, he was my brother and my family.”

In the letter, Proctor claims Connell attacked him with a box cutting knife on New Year’s Day, 2020, leaving him no choice but to defend himself.

“I kept fighting until Ryan finally gave up. I laid him out with one of my punches,” the letter reads. “At this point of time, Ryan was beat up, but he was still very much alive and breathing.”

Testimony began this week in Proctor’s trial on two counts of first-degree murder for allegedly fatally stabbing Connell during the fight.

Miceli told the jury he thought “his story sounded like bull crap.”

“Nothing jived with other things that he had told me. And I called him on it,” Miceli said.

Proctor, who is representing himself, challenged the prosecution’s use of the letter, alleging it was illegally obtained. However, because he had been notified of the state’s intention to use the document months in advance, his objection was overruled.

Miceli said he stopped cooperating with Proctor after Proctor asked him to kill Kuckuck, who was ordered to appear as a witness in September 2022.

“He asked me to promise to have her killed,” Miceli told the jury.

“I kept retaining documents. Initially, I was doing it to try to help him. When he approached me to murder someone. I honestly thought he was trying to set me up, and I immediately notified law enforcement,” he said.

Miceli, who has a lengthy criminal record for fraudulent contracts and theft, told the jury that he did not request anything in return from law enforcement for his assistance with the investigation.

Andy Karceski, a special agent in the bureau of alcohol, tobacco, firearms and explosives, was part of an undercover investigation to verify Miceli’s claims. While posing as a hit man referred by Miceli, Karceski met with Proctor hoping to obtain proof of his desire to have Kuckuck killed.

In a recording of Karceski’s first meeting with Proctor played for the jury Thursday, Proctor said “my dog needs to be put down,” in reference to his dog Sammy and code for discussing Kuckuck’s murder, Karceski said.

In a text later sent to Karceski, Proctor wrote, “Make sure you use the best drugs you can find and paid for, to put her down so she don’t suffer no more.”

Karceski explained Proctor was telling him to give Kuckuck enough fentanyl to cause an overdose.

Kuckuck died from other causes Aug. 1, 2023, cremation records show.

Proctor requested to cross examine Karceski but asked Judge Kenneth Zelazo to end the trial early Thursday because he wasn’t feeling well.

“My mind isn’t functioning properly right now and I don’t know why,” Proctor said.

Karceski agreed to postpone plans to go to Michigan Thursday night, and Proctor’s request was granted.

The trial continues Friday at the Will County Courthouse in Joliet, with the state expected to complete its case.

smoilanen@chicagotribune.com