"The Lake County coroner who played a controversial role in the investigation into the death of Fox Lake police Lt.
Charles Joseph Gliniewicz will be recognized for his independence by a group of law enforcement officials. Gliniewicz's death on
Sept. 1 first was investigated as a homicide in the line of duty, but
authorities later determined that the veteran officer staged his suicide
to look like a murder out of fear his alleged embezzlement from an
Explorers youth program would be uncovered. Rudd has also
criticized the 2009 investigation into the death of toddler Ben Kingan,
whose death was initially ruled a homicide. Day care worker Melissa
Calusinski initially confessed to assaulting the child and was convicted
of murder in 2011. Despite the confession, Calusinski maintains
she is innocent and the child simply fell. Rudd re-examined the evidence
and determined the boy's injuries were "shockingly misdiagnosed." Rudd
has been critical of the state's attorney's office for not acting on his
report. Calusinski is seeking to have her conviction overturned........."The
issue of independence is a foregone conclusion," Rudd said. "This
office is independent. ... I don't work for the sheriff's office and I
don't work for the state's attorney, and that's a good thing."
http://www.chicagotribune.com/suburbs/lake-county-news-sun/news/ct-lns-rudd-award-st-0302-20160301-story.html