Cook Resigns From The Bench As He Faces Federal Charges
From the Madison County Record
St. Clair County Circuit Judge Michael Cook resigned on Wednesday, less than a week after he was charged with federal drug-related offenses.
Belleville attorney Thomas Keefe III said he submitted Cook’s resignation letter Wednesday morning to Chief Judge John Baricevic and confirmed that Cook is away in treatment.
Keefe said he and his father, Thomas Keefe Jr., will represent Cook, along with Edwardsville attorney J. William Lucco of Edwardsville and Belleville attorney Michael J. Nester.
Neither the Illinois Supreme Court nor the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) had received a resignation letter from Cook as of late Thursday afternoon, said spokesman Joe Tybor.
A 1999 Supreme Court order regarding the resignation procedure of judges — M.R. 16183– states that resignations must be submitted in writing to the Supreme Court chief justice.
The order also states that copies of the resignation must be sent to the justice in the district where the resignation will occur and the AOIC director, as well as to the presiding justice or chief circuit judge depending on what court the judge seeking to resign sits on.
Keefe did not immediately return a phone call seeking information as to when he will send Cook’s resignation letter on to chief justice, and submit copies to those required under the court’s resignation procedure.
Cook was charged late last week with possession of heroin and being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms. He has entered a not guilty plea to both charges.
He had been the target of a federal investigation, which led to the execution of warrants last week at his Belleville home, court chambers and the hunting cabin in Pike County where his colleague, Associate Judge Joseph Christ, died in March.
Although court officials originally said Christ had died of natural causes, the Pike County coroner recently confirmed that he died of cocaine intoxication.
Read more in our daily News Update...
From the Madison County Record
St. Clair County Circuit Judge Michael Cook resigned on Wednesday, less than a week after he was charged with federal drug-related offenses.
Belleville attorney Thomas Keefe III said he submitted Cook’s resignation letter Wednesday morning to Chief Judge John Baricevic and confirmed that Cook is away in treatment.
Keefe said he and his father, Thomas Keefe Jr., will represent Cook, along with Edwardsville attorney J. William Lucco of Edwardsville and Belleville attorney Michael J. Nester.
Neither the Illinois Supreme Court nor the Administrative Office of the Illinois Courts (AOIC) had received a resignation letter from Cook as of late Thursday afternoon, said spokesman Joe Tybor.
A 1999 Supreme Court order regarding the resignation procedure of judges — M.R. 16183– states that resignations must be submitted in writing to the Supreme Court chief justice.
The order also states that copies of the resignation must be sent to the justice in the district where the resignation will occur and the AOIC director, as well as to the presiding justice or chief circuit judge depending on what court the judge seeking to resign sits on.
Keefe did not immediately return a phone call seeking information as to when he will send Cook’s resignation letter on to chief justice, and submit copies to those required under the court’s resignation procedure.
Cook was charged late last week with possession of heroin and being an unlawful user of a controlled substance in possession of firearms. He has entered a not guilty plea to both charges.
He had been the target of a federal investigation, which led to the execution of warrants last week at his Belleville home, court chambers and the hunting cabin in Pike County where his colleague, Associate Judge Joseph Christ, died in March.
Although court officials originally said Christ had died of natural causes, the Pike County coroner recently confirmed that he died of cocaine intoxication.
Read more in our daily News Update...