Berlin details vision for DuPage Co. state's attorney's office

DuPage County's newly appointed state's attorney, Robert Berlin, said Wednesday he intends to seek election to the post in two years when his term is up.

In his first sit-down interview since taking office Tuesday, Berlin also outlined several proposals he's considering, from creating a “second chance” program for first-time offenders to beefing up Internet sex crime investigations.

“I'm going to take stock of every decision and everything we're doing,” he said. “If things are going great, I'm going to leave them. If I find areas that can be improved, we'll improve them.”

Berlin, 48, of Clarendon Hills, was appointed by county board Chairman Dan Cronin this week with the consent of the county board to replace veteran Joseph Birkett, who stepped down after 14 years as state's attorney to be a justice in the 2nd District Appellate Court in Elgin.

Berlin acknowledged he has “big shoes” to fill in replacing Birkett. But as a career prosecutor, he feels up to the task.

“I've been a prosecutor for 23 years because I love what I do, and I still enjoy coming to work every day,” he said. “I believe in what we do as an office.”

Berlin is facing a potentially challenging year, with as many as 12 murder trials scheduled for the first three months of 2011.

He said he intends to remain the lead prosecutor in the retrial of Laurence Lovejoy, whose conviction in the slaying of his daughter was overturned last year by the Illinois Supreme Court, as well as two other murder cases.

“I understand I'm going to have a lot of administrative duties, but I would still like to occasionally get back into the courtroom,” Berlin said. “I like doing it and I think it's important for the office.”

Berlin said the success of any state's attorney comes down to a passion for the job.

“My belief is, a state's attorney should be a career prosecutor someone who has a vested interest in fighting crime,” he said. “I also think the public has to have confidence in the job we do.”

Berlin said he was still in law school when he decided to make a career out of prosecuting crimes.

The realization came after his first day as a law clerk at Cook County's criminal courts at 26th and California in Chicago.

Berlin said he found inspiration in the prosecutors around him and the passion they applied to their craft.

“After the first day on the job,” he said, “I knew it was what I wanted to do. I didn't apply anywhere else.”

Berlin became an assistant state's attorney in Cook County in 1987, and went on to prosecute more than 60 felony jury trials, including 40 first-degree murder cases, before leaving 13 years later, in 2001.

Over the following four years, he prosecuted more murders and felonies as chief of Kane County's priority prosecution unit, where he was also first assistant.

Berlin left Kane for DuPage in 2004 and since has worked in the areas of juvenile delinquency, felony trials and special prosecution.

Among his more notable cases was the conviction this year of Edward Tenney, who was sent to death row for the execution-style killing of a young Aurora father in a robbery that netted just $6.

As top prosecutor, Berlin now leads a team of about 180 lawyers, investigators and support staff.

He said his ultimate goal is to be proactive and keep DuPage County safe.

“That's when you really appreciate living in DuPage County and what this office does when you feel like you can let your kids go out and play without having to worry,” he said. “I'm absolutely committed to maintaining that.”