A state appellate court ruled that McHenry County must pay the full amount billed by two special prosecutors appointed to investigate State’s Attorney Lou Bianchi, but that the taxpayers paid too much for the computer forensics firm the prosecutors hired.

The 21-page ruling by the panel of three judges of the 2nd District Appellate Court upholds Judge Gordon Graham’s ruling that the county must pay the outstanding $200,349 billed by special prosecutors Henry Tonigan and Thomas McQueen. However, the judges ruled that the $87,854 billed by Quest Consultants should be reduced to exclude certain work.

The special prosecution brought corruption charges against Bianchi and three of his staff members, all of whom were acquitted.