Illinois public defender fights in courtroom, boxing ring

EDWARDSVILLE, Ill. (AP) - A public defender in a western Illinois county fights in the courtroom and in the boxing ring.

Madison County public defender John Rekowski's career in the courtroom spans 30 years, The Belleville News-Democrat reported. He's been the chief public defender since 1984 and typically handles multiple things at once, including cases and state legislation.

Rekowski said boxing helps him clear his mind after a long day by forcing him to focus on just one thing. The sport also appeals to his competitive side.

"Hitting something, sometimes, is a great stress-reliever," he said.

Rekowski and the 13 others in his office handle about 80 percent of the county's felony cases, which amounts to about 3,000 a year.

"If I can keep a felony off some guy's record so that when he does get his life on track, he's employable, it's not a bad day," Rekowski said.

He has also worked on legislation to protect the rights of the accused for the past 15 years.

"I like to think that when the time comes, we're going to leave this place a little bit better off for our kids than where it is right now," Rekowski said.

He's also lobbied for e-stop cards that track how many minority motorists are stopped by police, for state reimbursement of public defenders' salaries, for lowering court fees and assessments for lower-income people. He also spent time reworking the state's forfeiture laws this past year.