A Cook County judge was caught on camera mocking an attorney who appeared before him for arguments earlier in the day.
Can you imagine waking up next to her? Judge William Raines exclaimed, Oh, my God. If you paid me, I wouldn't have a visual on that.
The link to the video-conferenced court call was available as recently as Thursday morning. After Raines had finished hearing cases, he began to chat with two Cook County prosecutors and a Cook County assistant public defender about the legal argument Bonjean had participated in. He didn't realize the conversation was still being broadcast.
He said he was reliving the conversation between Miss Bonjean and Todd Dombrowski. Did you watch her go crazy? It is insane that the phone is going all over the place.
In court on Thursday, Bonjean asked that the video be preserved so she could use it in a complaint to the Judicial Inquiry Board.
Bonjean told Reddick that they do that as well if there is a forum to lodge a complaint. There was an incredible casual nature of these conversations that suggests this is not the first time this kind of banter went on.
Reddick granted Bonjean's request to preserve the video, and said she would "reserve comment" on the matter of Bonjean's complaint.
She said that all judges who serve are under ethical rules and should conduct themselves in a way that promotes confidence in the judiciary. I received the initial complaint. It will be addressed as well.
Raines could not comment on the matter since it was a pending case. The Judicial Inquiry Board handles allegations of wrongdoing by Illinois judges.
Raines made comments after the hearing in the case of Roosevelt Myles, who is trying to get his murder conviction thrown out.
Raines was not involved in the case on Wednesday. Reddick moved the case to Judge Carol Howard.
Bonjean and Dombrowski had finished their arguments in the case of Myles, who granted a documentary team raw footage of an interview.
Raines was frustrated with Bonjean, who occasionally interrupted or shook her head in displeasure. Bonjean claimed that prosecutors were lying about the case.
Do you please, stop shaking your head, just be professional? Raines asked.
What is professional? Understanding the law is important. That is professional. It's more professional to tell the truth and understand the law than it is to shake my head. She asked that people state the law and record correctly.
Raines said she didn't need Bonjean yelling at her.
Bonjean said that he was passionate. I am not yelling.
Raines brought up the argument with the female prosecutors and the assistant public defender who remained on the call, who laughed along in a way that Bonjean's filing compared to the movie "Mean Girls."
The assistant state's attorney said that it was so entertaining.
It was fun for me. The rain said.
One of Bonjean's colleagues looked like he was 13 years old, according to Bucaro.
Raines said that it was her man-child.
Raines noticed that the conversation was still being broadcast in real time.
He said, "Ooh, wait." Is the meeting live on YouTube? What is going on with this?
The video ends after that.
The office of Cook County State's Attorney Kim Foxx said in a statement that they had spoken to both prosecutors who participated in the conversation and that it would be addressed as a personnel matter.
Their behavior runs counter to the values of this administration. Their actions reflect poorly on the work of our office and the entire criminal justice system.
Both assistant state's attorneys as well as Foxx have apologized, and she accepted them.
Bonjean is a New York-based attorney who has made her name by doing work to overturn wrongful convictions. Bill Cosby's conviction for sex crimes was overturned by an appeals court. She signed on to represent R. Kelly, who was convicted last year on federal racketeering and sex abuse charges.
Mcrepeau is a reporter for the Chicago Tribune.
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