Lake County chief judge won't comment on change in Gliniewicz case
Lake County Chief Judge Jorge L. Ortiz said he would not comment on potential conflicts of interest cited by another Lake County judge in withdrawing from the Melodie Gliniewicz criminal case.
In an email Tuesday, Ortiz said he was unable to comment because "the code of judicial conduct prohibits judges from discussing pending cases."
The statement came after Judge Victoria Rossetti pulled herself from the Gliniewicz case Monday, stating she wanted to avoid the appearance of impropriety due to a potential conflict of interest.
Lake County Assistant State's Attorney Scott Turk said Rossetti did not go into detail about the conflict of interest in court. The case was shifted to Judge James Booras.
Gliniewicz, 51, of Antioch Township, faces felony counts of conspiracy, unlawful use of charitable funds for personal gain, and money laundering. If found guilty of all charges at trial, she could be sentenced up to seven years in prison, authorities said. The charges are also probationable.
She was charged after an investigation into the death of Fox Lake police Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz showed the married couple had been using money donated to the Fox Lake Law Enforcement Explorer Post 300 for their own purposes, authorities said.
Authorities said Joe Gliniewicz staged his suicide as a murder last September out of fear those thefts would be uncovered.
Melodie Gliniewicz was a citizen adviser for the post, authorities said. She pleaded not guilty to all charges and her attorneys have denied she had any wrongdoing.
Her trial has been delayed to Dec. 5.