Lorraine Mary Murphy

Name: Lorraine Mary Murphy

Age (as of Election Day): 44

Current residence: Chicago

Current position: Cook County assistant state’s attorney, 2002-present

Past legal experience: Law clerk, Goldberg Weisman & Cairo Ltd., 2001-02; law clerk, Law Offices of Chicago-Kent, 2002; law clerk, law clerk, Bennett J. Baker & Associates Ltd., 2001; Riordan Dashiell & Donnelly Ltd., 1999-2000

Campaign funds available, July 1 to Dec. 31: $313.93

Campaign funds spent, July 1 to Dec. 31: $0

Law school: IIT Chicago-Kent College of Law, 2003

Campaign website: electlorrainemarymurphy.com

Family: Husband, two kids

Hobbies/interests: Board of Directors, Reach Out Community Center; Sauganash Community Association volunteer; chaperone for kids’ activities

Have you ever run for office before?

Yes. In 2018, I ran in the 10th Subcircuit.

Why should voters support your candidacy?

I’m running in the Thomas Roti vacancy, and I am the most qualified candidate in my race. I have the most experience and integrity of the people in my race to be a great judge.

I’ve worked over 16 years at the state’s attorneys’ office, but before that, in three separate civil law firms. In the state’s attorney’s office, I’ve tried over 70 felony trials to verdict, 19 were murder, a couple were double murder.

I’ve tried hundreds of bench trials and motions, and every day on a regular basis, I stand up in a courtroom as the first chair. I’ve always conducted myself fairly and ethically. I’m confident opposing counsel have always walked away with a positive experience of my knowledge of the law and ability to work together and not act inappropriately.

I’m confident any judges would say the same. I’ve got the experience, integrity, temperament and respect from parties, to say I would make a great judge.

Why do you want to be a judge?

My undergraduate degree was in journalism. I worked for different NBC affiliates and for CNN. I worked in West Virginia and Springfield, Ill., and as a reporter, I was always covering crime. It led me to want to go to law school and go into public service. I believe I have a true calling for public service.

Sometimes it’s really difficult to put on these very serious murder trials for a judge that only does real estate closings. I’ve also been in front of judges in Markham, Skokie, and 26th and California. There are calls that are extremely efficient and inefficient.

With my experience, I believe I’d be an asset to the system in running things efficiently with knowledge and experience.

What was the most interesting case you handled as a lawyer?

I’ll give three. The first one, the most serious, was a 62-year-old victim who had 12 kids, worked different jobs, was collecting cans in an alley to pay for a quinceañera dress. The defendants were in high school, they were charged as adults, and they played “point ‘em out, knock ‘em out.”

The three of them, one of them videos; another yells some type of gang thing, I think; the third kid punches him as hard as he can, cracking his head open, and as he lay there in a pool of blood, they take his wallet. They later posted it on Facebook. That’s what led to arresting the three of them, even finding out where their dad was.

All three defendants were convicted, and it’s all under the theory of accountability. One guy throws the punch, but the other was laughing about it, and filming it. And it was extremely sad, for those kids to lose their father. It’s just very sad.

The second case was a forcible rape of a mentally handicapped high school student. She was tired of riding the short bus. She tried to prove she could ride the regular bus.

Finally, the first week she gets to ride the regular bus, the defendant, who was old enough to be charged as an adult, follows her into her house, pushes her down and rapes her. I had to spend a couple Saturdays with the victim, show her the courtroom, make her understand where she’d be sitting, tell her adults would be asking her questions. We did, and the jury found him guilty. He was 18.

[The third:] Most recently, this was only a misdemeanor, but it was in the news. In Des Plaines, three teachers were giving all the 2-year-olds melatonin every single day for year. There were 16 different counts, 16 different kids, 16 sets of parents coming to court crying about these teachers drugging their kids for so long. One of the teachers didn’t want to take a misdemeanor. We ended up going to trial — there was a lot of video of each of these teachers giving these kids melatonin.

The teacher would pull out the cot, they would lift the kids’ lifeless bodies onto these cots. When it finally came to light, the police did find these bottles of melatonin that said “do not give this to kids.”

Each of the parents got up to testify, about how different their children acted. We did finally secure a guilty for the last teacher. That trial lasted three days. For a misdemeanor, that’s pretty long. We treated it like it was a murder trial.

What would you consider your greatest career accomplishment?

This is twofold. My biggest accomplishment is developing and maintaining a great reputation as an attorney. Knowing the law and being fair and doing what’s right.

But also, over my career, I’ve had breast cancer twice. I continued to work throughout all the chemotherapy, surgery and radiation. When I was running in 2018, I found I had it again but continued to work throughout. I had five surgeries. But I continued to be a lawyer in public service, and continued to run. And I think I’ve maintained a very good, fair reputation as a loyal public servant.

What qualities do you plan to bring to the bench?

Going back to my experience, I’ve tried so many jury trials. My work experience as a lawyer, my life experience as a two-time cancer survivor and mom of two kids.

I have fairness; I treat everyone with respect and listen to all sides. I truly believe in doing what is just and right and making sure we get the most fair outcome for all parties involved.