A Cook County judge who made a controversial decision to release a man on electronic monitoring weeks before he killed his estranged wife is not hearing domestic violence cases because of threats he has received, the chief judge’s office said.
Judge Thomas Nowinski on Oct. 9 denied a Cook County prosecutor’s petition to detain Constantin Beldie, 57, on accusations that he threw her to the ground and held her in his car , finding that the state didn’t meet its burden under the law for Beldie to be held in jail. Six weeks later, Beldie killed Lacramioara Beldie, 54, before he was found dead, according to police, setting off an outcry from advocates against domestic violence who called for Nowinski to be reassigned.
In a lengthy statement released Tuesday evening, Chief Judge Tim Evans said Lacramioara Beldie’s death revealed “gaps in policies and procedures” the office is seeking to address to better protect victims of domestic violence. He also said he is reaching out to incoming State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke to “strengthen collaboration” between the two offices.