Lake Co. judge threat case moves to McHenry Co. court

The case against a man accused of threatening a Lake County judge will be prosecuted in McHenry County, a Lake County judge ruled Tuesday.

Adam Rotheimer, 27, is charged with threatening to kill Associate Judge Brian Hughes. At the time he made the threat, Rotheimer was being treated at a hospital in Woodstock.

Rotheimer, the brother of former county board candidate and court system critic Denise Rotheimer, pleaded guilty to DUI in front of Hughes on Feb. 6 and was placed on court supervision.

Police said Adam Rotheimer told a social worker at Centegra Health System in Woodstock where he was being treated between March 3 and March 9 that he intended to kill Hughes.

He was charged with threatening a public official in Lake County, but Assistant State's Attorney Eric Kalata said it had been determined McHenry County was the proper venue for the case.

Circuit Judge James Booras approved the change of venue, which came without objection from Rotheimer's attorney Jeffrey Urdangen.

From 2005 to 2009, Urdangen, of the Blum Legal Clinic at Northwestern University, was the lead attorney for Juan Rivera in Rivera's third trial for the 1992 murder of Holly Staker.

On May 7, 2009, Rivera was again found guilty of the rape and murder of the 11-year-old baby sitter and again was sentenced to life in prison.

Urdangen said he was happy with Tuesday's action in the Rotheimer case.

"I am pleased with the judge's decision," Urdangen said. "We believe McHenry County is the appropriate place to hear this case."

Kalata said he would contact McHenry County prosecutors to schedule a date for Rotheimer to appear in court there.

Rotheimer, of McHenry, is free on $25,000 bond and faces up to five years in prison if convicted but would also be eligible for probation.