Kane state's attorney hopefuls down to 2
Two attorneys with experience as Kane County prosecutors were named finalists Thursday in the search for State's Attorney John Barsanti's successor.
First Assistant State's Attorney Jody Gleason and former Assistant State's Attorney Joseph McMahon were selected from a pool of nine applicants who interviewed with a committee of mostly defense lawyers and retired judges. The county board is expected to appoint one of the finalists at a November meeting.
“There were a number of very strong candidates for this position,” said committee member Peter Grometer, a former chief judge and appellate justice. “(The finalists), to us, were the ones who could do the best job for the citizens of Kane County.”
The successful finalist will replace Barsanti, who becomes a circuit judge Dec. 1, until his elected term ends Dec. 3, 2012, at which point the office will be up for election.
In a report to the county board, the committee cited both Gleason's and McMahon's history in the state's attorney's office.
Gleason has been an assistant state's attorney for 18 of her 20 years practicing law, during which time she has worked in every division. She also has been a special attorney in federal court in Chicago, where she prosecuted eight people on racketeering charges.
The committee noted Gleason lives in Kendall County but would move to Kane County if given the job.
McMahon, of Elgin, began his career with the state's attorney's office and was chief of the criminal division in the late 1990s. In private practice, he has experience in civil and criminal court matters, the committee said.
Both Gleason and McMahon have additional education outside the area of law. Gleason has a degree in political science, while McMahon has a master's degree in business administration.
County board Chairman Karen McConnaughay met in closed session with the committee for about 45 minutes Thursday before members announced the finalists. McConnaughay has said she was pleased with the quality of candidates, but she left Thursday's meeting without comment.
Gleason said she applied for the position because “I care deeply about what happens to the office and the employees in the office.
“I certainly have the experience and skills to serve two years as Kane County state's attorney and, hopefully, years after that,” she said. “I've been in every division. I've worked my way up from misdemeanor and traffic assistant to chief of the criminal division. I think I'm the best person to lead the office.”
McMahon said his experience working for both a national law firm and as a prosecutor, including time as deputy chief of criminal prosecution for the Illinois attorney general's office, along with his business education, make him especially qualified for the job.
“I started in the Kane County state's attorney's office as an intern and when I left I was chief of the criminal division. But I have experience both in and out of that office,” he said. “It gives me a little different background on how to run the office, how to work with the county board, and how to face some of the challenges in that office and the criminal justice system in general.”