Bulletin: Momentous Occasion. (It's not every day a 'coroner' is recognized for his "independence" by a group of law enforcement officials; HL; ) The honour goes to Lake County Coroner Dr. Thomas Rudd whose name will be recognized for the unflinching role he played in the Joe Gliniewicz and Melissa Calusinski cases. "The award for Rudd comes just months after high-ranking officials in the Lake County sheriff's office and its major crime task force called him "unprofessional," "completely irresponsible" and claimed he put "the entire case at risk" by telling the media Gliniewicz died of a single gunshot to the body. Rudd said he released the information to debunk inaccuracies being reported in the media. 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 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