Eileen O'Neill Burke is not a State's Attorney, although she was for 10 years. An attorney since 1990, O'Neill-Burke (her name is hyphenated in Sullivan's) maintains a solo office on Northwest Highway on the Northwest Side of Chicago.O'Neill-Burke made the news a little over a year ago for her representation of Mardin Azad Amin, a young man who was trying to go home to Iraq for a family reunion when a female airport security guard discovered something in his carry-on luggage that she could not identify. She asked Amin what it was and he said it was a "pump" -- but the security guard thought he said "bomb." O'Neill Burke was ultimately able to make the felony charges go away; the news stories printed world-wide are still lurking on the Internet.
Joan Ellen Smuda is now an Assistant Attorney General, but she was appointed to the Circuit Court in 1995. She lost her 1996 primary bid to keep her seat when she was unable to secure the Democratic Party endorsement. Smuda has also served as general counsel for the Polish Roman Catholic Union of America.
Kenneth L. Fletcher is the slated candidate for the Pucinski vacancy. He was appointed by the Illinois Supreme Court to fill this vacancy. Before going on the bench, Fletcher was an Assistant Public Defender.
Thomas Francis Biesty is an Assistant State's Attorney who's been associated with the Cook County State's Attorney's cold case unit. He recently prosecuted Juan Luna for his part in the 1993 Palatine Brown's Chicken massacre. He drew the last spot on the ballot in this race.
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5 comments:
When the airport security case became national news, Eileen O'Neill Burke handled it with professionalism and composure. She's the only one in the race with experience in prosecution and defense. I think she'll make an exceptional judge.
Eileen O'Neil Burke has the disposition, the knowledge and the integrity for the position in the 10th. She is equally at home arguing before Illinois Supreme Court Justices or trying cases before the Trial Judges of this Circuit. She has great depth and understanding of the law. That understanding of boh sides of the law as it applies to both preosecution and defense has been what has made her such a respected attorney in this area.
I, for one, will be voting for Joan Smuda. Any friend of the Polish Roman Catholic Union is a friend of mine.
-- Matthew Podgorski
www.ourpurewater.com
I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. O'Neil Burke last night at a low-key coffee hosted by our neighbors, and feel very comfortable voting for her as judge in the 10th subcircuit.
She knows the ins and outs of what is required of judges, and is the only candidate who has been on both sides of the courtroom, so she will bring invaluable insight to the bench.
I wholeheartedly endorse her candidacy.
Eileen O'Neil Burke will be a great judge. She has served effectively as my sister in law for 17 years. Eileen conducted herself in this challenging role with dignity and distinction.
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