Illinois judge charged with heroin and gun possession

www.usatoday.com...

ST. LOUIS (AP) — A southwestern Illinois judge already under scrutiny after a colleague died of a coc aine overdose at his family's hunting lodge was charged Friday with possession of heroin and guns.

Wearing cutoff shorts and a T-shirt with the slogan "Bad is my middle name," St. Clair County Circuit Judge Michael Cook pleaded not guilty to federal counts of possessing heroin and having a firearm while being an illegal user of controlled substances. The criminal complaint alleges those offenses took place Thursday, and that Cook is an addict.

And of course, this will disappear...never to be heard about again....

come on second amedmenters. dont you need a gun to protect your heroin?

Obviously something is wrong and this guy needs help. The power of drugs and addiction isn't bound to any one social class. I am guessing they will show him little mercy based on the events of this story so far and rightfully so IMO considering the likely role in the death of another judge involved. Our judges should be held to a higher standard than regular people, but we should not forget that we are all human.


reply to post by AkhenatenII

Im very pro 2nd Amendment and I think this charge depends on the details of the situation. If they were at the hunting cabin for a night of coc aine and the rifles never left the gun safe, that is one thing. If they had a loaded weapon at the table with them while they were doing the drugs, that is another. If it was the latter situation then possession of firearms while under the influence of an illegal substance is a lawful charge, IMO. It could easily be argued that they were endangering the lives of anybody who might be nearby regardless if the guns were locked up or not.

I'd bet that if someone dug deep enough
this guy would have ties with Obama

More corruption. At what point are going to stop destroying ourselves over our "ideas" about drugs. The truth is we cause our own destruction. I wonder what the statistics are with this judge, what kind of criminal does he go hardest against? He has drugs and a gun, what gang does he work for or with? Who has the dirt on this guy?

This is happening in my neck of the woods. Sorry if I put this together somewhat haphazardly.

Judge Cook's friend has also been charged as part of the drug case and Judge Cook has presided over cases involving his friend and fellow drug user in the past. According to the Illinois judicial code, he should have removed himself from the cases, but did not.

In addition to being friends for years, McGilvery is also linked to Cook through a 1999 injury liability case where Cook was his lawyer, and in a 2011 drug possession case where Cook was the judge. Cook dismissed the felony drug possession charge in May 2012 after McGilvery completed a drug treatment program. Read more here: www.bnd.com...=cpy

A probation officer is also involved in this case.

St. Clair County Probation Officer James K. Fogarty told a federal agent that he sold coc aine to the late Circuit Judge Joe Christ before Christ's death, according to an affidavit signed by a federal agent. Fogarty was charged Friday with felony distribution and possession with intent to distribute coc aine. Read more here: www.bnd.com...=cpy

If this was in Chicago, the citizens wouldn't be in such shock. In Southern Illinois communities, everyone seems to know everyone. I've seen many comments on the Belleville NewsDemocrat's webpage from people who know the judges involved and their families. Most are in stunned disbelief. These guys are a perfect example of everything that glitters isn't gold. In a way, they and their families would have been better off if this was in Chicago. At least they would be more likely to be another face in the crowd. I feel for their wives and children.

Judge Cook plead "not guilty" at his arraignment.

U.S. Magistrate Clifford Proud allowed Cook to go free on the condition that he be placed in drug treatment, surrender his passport, stay out of trouble and away from drugs until his trial. Read more here: www.bnd.com...=cpy

I'm not sure how I feel about him being free right now. I can't help but think that if he was an average Joe, he would be jailed. His bond was set at $10,000 and he didn't have to pay anything to be free. The federal prosecutor wanted him kept in a medical facility for treatment, but the judge allowed him to be treated as an outpatient.

Here's some more info about the probation officer and his connection to the judge.

Fogarty, during the interview at his home, told FBI Agent Joe Murphy that he used coc aine with Christ and Cook. He went on to tell Murphy that the judges split an eight-ball of coc aine, about an eighth of an ounce, paying about $140 apiece. Forgarty told Murphy that he remembered hoping that it wasn't an overdose when he'd heard that Christ died. Fogarty related a conversation that he had with Cook a couple of days after Christ's death. Fogarty talked to Cook in his chambers and Cook told Forgarty that he heard a bang and went into the bathroom of the Pike County hunting cabin where the two were staying and found Christ dead on the floor, according to the affidavit. Fogarty estimated that Cook had been to his residence 15-20 times and used coc aine approximately 10 times and occasionally at golf outings, the affidavit stated. Read more here: www.bnd.com...=cpy

I plan to keep following this case and will post more as it comes out.

Conflict of interest much?

Oh wait, it's Illinois. That's typical corruption. I'm surprised it was only drugs; in the stuff of legend, corrupt judges fall for the prostitution rings too.