Yesterday brought the Chicago legal community distressing news after it was reported that a longtime criminal court judge had been fatally shot outside of his home. Judge Raymond Myles of the Cook County Circuit Court’s Criminal Division was leaving his home with a female companion at approximately 4:50 a.m. for an early morning workout when they encountered an assailant. The Chicago Tribune has a chilling account of what happened next:
A neighbor and friend of the judge said he was awakened by gunfire and screams early Monday morning.
“I heard maybe six shots. The shots woke me up, and the screaming of the woman woke me up. She was screaming, ‘Don’t kill him, don’t kill him!'” said the neighbor, who asked not to be named for his safety.
The neighbor said he called 911 and was told that other people had already called. He then looked out the window and saw the woman’s body near the garage, its door open. When police arrived, he went outside and saw the judge lying on the porch.
“I think he was alive when they carried him to the ambulance,” he said.
Judge Myles was shot numerous times and later succumbed to his wounds at a local hospital. His companion was shot once in the leg and is expected to survive. Police believe that this may have been an attempted robbery, but no possessions were taken.
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According to ABC 7 News, Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans released a statement after discovering that his colleague had been killed:
Judge Raymond Myles
I join all of the judges today in the Circuit Court of Cook County in expressing our sadness regarding the tragic passing of our colleague and friend, Associate Judge Raymond Myles. I offer my deepest condolences to his family, friends and colleagues in the Criminal Division.
Judge Myles joined the court in October 1999 when the Illinois Supreme Court appointed him to fill a vacancy that he held for just over a year. The circuit judges appointed him as an associate judge in June 2001, and he has served in the Criminal Division since March 2009.
Judge Myles joined the bench with a wealth of experience in law and extensive service to the community. I have always known Judge Myles to be focused and determined in the pursuit of justice, and his conduct earned him the confidence and respect of the people who appeared before him.
All of our colleagues at the Leighton Criminal Court Building will miss Judge Myles, who they came to know for his kindness and his impartial administration of justice.
Police are said to have “multiple and promising leads,” and are currently reviewing surveillance footage taken from security cameras Judge Myles had installed outside of his home and from other public and private cameras in the neighborhood. At this time, it is unknown if the judge’s work at the criminal court had anything to do with his fatal shooting. A $25,000 reward is being offered for any information leading to the arrest of the person who shot and killed a Judge Myles.
We here at Above the Law would like to extend our condolences to Judge Raymond Myles’s family, friends, and colleagues. May his killer be swiftly brought to justice.
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Police: Fatal shooting of Cook County judge may have been attempted robbery [Chicago Tribune]
COOK COUNTY JUDGE KILLED, WOMAN WOUNDED IN SOUTH SIDE SHOOTING [ABC 7 News]
Judge is fatally shot outside his Chicago home; he had been beaten by a motorist in 2015 [ABA Journal]
Staci Zaretsky is an editor at Above the Law. She’d love to hear from you, so feel free to email her with any tips, questions, or comments. You can follow her on Twitter or connect with her on LinkedIn.