It may seem like a cushy gig, but a day in the life of a judge is no easy task. These judges sometimes have to deal with extremely aggrieved litigants, some of whom may be regarded as dangerous.
Several judges in Cook County, Illinois, recently learned just how dangerous their jobs can be when they each received death threats in anonymous letters sent to their chambers. Here are some additional details from the Chicago Tribune (sub. req.):
Judge Thomas Mulroy said that he received a threatening letter and that he knew of two other judges who received them. Mulroy and those judges work in the Law Division’s commercial section in the Daley Center, handling business cases such as breach of contracts and unlawful firings.
Mulroy, who has been a judge for nearly nine years, said he turned his letter over to Evans’ office last week. He said it contained no clues about the sender’s identity and recalled the letter contained the chilling statement: “You’re on a kill list.” He said he had never been threatened before and the letter made him “uncomfortable.”
Two additional judges who handled mortgage fraud and foreclosure cases also received letters last Thursday.
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According to Chief Judge Timothy Evans, the return addresses listed on the envelopes the letters were received in contained the names and addresses of other judges. Another source said the anonymous letters were handwritten and contained threats from unidentified groups (i.e., “These groups are serious. They want revenge. They’ll kill you and your family.”) That seems pretty frightening.
Cara Smith, chief strategist for Sheriff Tom Dart, whose office handles courtroom security, said that there’s an open investigation into who sent the death threats: “We … will run this out and ensure the safety of the judges. Any threat to a member of the judiciary is of the utmost concern.” As of yet, no arrests have been made.
Hopefully whoever sent these death threats is apprehended before something terrible happens. We’d hate to have to report on a judge’s murder before the year is out.
Cook County judges get death threats: ‘You’re on a kill list’ [Chicago Tribune]
Report: At least 5 civil judges in Chicago area get death threats in anonymous letters [ABA Journal]