Justice Project director chosen as public defender
The director of the Illinois Justice Project is Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle’s pick to take over the public defender’s office, drawing praise Wednesday from both the county’s chief executive and the prosecutor he and the attorneys in the office will face in court.
Sharone Mitchell Jr. has worked at the Illinois Justice Project since 2016 and was previously a trial attorney with the public defender’s office, according to the Justice Project’s website.
The County Board has scheduled a special meeting Friday morning to vote on the appointment.
State’s Attorney Kim Foxx, whose prosecutors will be squaring off against Mitchell and the attorneys he supervises if he is confirmed, congratulated Mitchell, calling him her “colleague in criminal justice reform.”
In a statement, Preckwinkle thanked outgoing Public Defender Amy Campanelli and the selection team that vetted the candidates.
Preckwinkle called Mitchell a “nationally recognized thought leader and policy advocate who has demonstrated the ability to lead regional reform efforts working with myriad diverse stakeholders including the private bar, legislators, practitioners as well as community organizations both large and small.”
In a written statement, Mitchell said “it is the honor of a lifetime” to be recommended for the position and thanked the selection committee for its “hard work” and Preckwinkle “for her faith in me.”
“My vision for the office amplifies the office’s core mission; it is to ensure that this office provides the highest quality of representation for the clients assigned to our care and becomes an engine for progressive systems change,” Mitchell said.
“I look forward to appearing before the County Board and, if I am confirmed, work with the commissioners to help deliver to the people of Cook County the legal representation they deserve and answer the call of our communities that have demanded change.”
Foxx issued a written statement shortly after news of the selection broke, saying she was “thrilled to congratulate” Mitchell, but also praising his predecessor, who wanted to stay in the job but ultimately did not make the cut.
“While our roles may appear adversarial by design, we share a commitment to fight for justice and fair outcomes,” Foxx wrote of Mitchell. “Amy Campanelli is a fierce advocate for her clients and an excellent strategic thinker who I have enjoyed working with over the past four years. I wish her the best of luck in her next endeavor.”
Campanelli’s current term expires at the end of the month.