Thomas Francis Biesty: In his own words

Thomas Francis Biesty is a candidate for the Pucinski vacancy in the 10th Judicial Subcircuit.

During my career, I have witnessed our laws in action from many points of view. From enforcing the law on the street, to upholding the law in the courtroom, and even teaching it in the classroom, I have participated in almost every aspect of our legal process.

My passion for the law, commitment to public service and strong ethics make me the ideal candidate for Judge of the Circuit Court 10th Judicial Subcircuit to fill the vacancy of the Honorable Aurelia Pucinski.

The following brief overview outlines my qualifications for this important position:

My first taste of the law was as a young police officer on the streets of New York. As a rookie cop I was assigned to some of the roughest areas of the city including Harlem and the South Bronx. The challenges and frustrations of working in these areas were offset by the realization that enforcement of the laws fairly and consistently helped improve the lives of the many working class residents struggling to survive in these terrible conditions. During my years on the job, I earned awards and commendations for exceptional police work, but my job satisfaction came from doing my job and making my "beat" a safer place to live.

Upon graduation from law school, my commitment to public service brought me to the Cook County State's Attorney's Office where I have investigated and prosecuted some of Chicago’s most vicious killers and criminals over the last 16 years, including Daniel Escobedo, Kenneth Hansen and Frank Jayne to name a few.

Most recently, as Supervisor of the Cold Case Squad, I successfully prosecuted the well-known Brown's Chicken Massacre defendant Juan Luna. Not only was this case complex, it was the first high profile death penalty case after capital litigation reforms. While this case was 14 years old, and extremely challenging, justice was served and the case was closed.

Day to day, I supervise a team of eight attorneys and four investigators that specialize in developing strategies to solve "cold case" homicides (more than one year old). I regularly manage investigations among various law enforcement agencies while applying new methods and scientific technology to solve these crimes. The success of this unit over the last several years has lead to almost 100 closed cases. We have successfully prosecuted murders from 1955 to the present and I take great pride in the fact that justice has been served in cases that had been previously unsolved.

Before working in the Cold Case Squad, I was assigned to the Gang Prosecutions Unit. While there, I was assigned to prosecute and investigate gang leaders and gang members. Additionally, I was cross-designated as a Special Assistant United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. During my tenure, we successfully prosecuted and dismantled a notable violent street gang.

Through out my career as a practicing attorney, I have had the honor and privilege of teaching law students and coaching less-seasoned lawyers. I have guest lectured at John Marshall School of Law and DePaul School of Law. Additionally, I have taught various courses at the National College of District Attorneys, taught at the Capital Litigation Training for the State Appellate Prosecutor and was an adjunct professor at Triton College for five years. These classroom experiences afforded me the opportunity to share the realities of the criminal justice system with my students from various perspectives.

In addition to my professional qualifications, it should be noted that I have already rated qualified or recommended from most Bar Associations (see website www.electbiesty.net).

My legal experience is complimented and balanced by my community involvement. Over the last four years, I have been a basketball and baseball coach for the Chicago Park District and local Little League. Additionally I am an active member of my community association. Likewise, I have given back to the legal community when I was a member of the Chicago Bar Association Judicial Evaluation Committee for six years and for four of those years I was the Vice Chair of the Judicial Evaluation Community.

While I am unsure whether any of the other candidates in my race can claim all of the above endorsements, I am confident that no other candidate has the experience, passion or the various perspectives of our legal system that I have. If I am elected Judge, I will be fair and impartial, treating all parties equally under the laws of our state.