Former Lake County coroner pleads not guilty to perjury

Former Lake County Coroner Thomas Rudd, who has clashed over the years with Lake County law enforcement investigators, pleaded not guilty Friday to five counts of perjury.

Rudd, 70, is accused of having nominating petitions with signatures of people who were dead or who later claimed they didn’t sign when he was seeking re-election in 2016. Rudd dropped out of the Democratic primary after it was determined he didn’t have enough valid signatures on his nominating petitions.

It’s highly unusual for felony charges to be filed in a nominating petition controversy.

Rudd’s private pathology practice in Lake County opened in 1979. As a coroner, Rudd made national headlin for his involvement in high-profile cases — most notably for his critical remarks about a Fox Lake police officer, who was originally thought to have been killed but was later determined to have killed himself in an attempt to cover up his criminal conduct.

In 2015, Rudd came under harsh criticism from law enforcement after saying he couldn’t determine whether Lt. Charles Joseph Gliniewicz shooting death was a homicide, suicide or accident. Rudd said he wasn’t able to complete his report until the task force investigating Gliniewicz’s death confirmed whether the bullet that killed Gliniewicz came from the officer’s own gun or someone else’s.

Rudd faces 2 to 5 years in prison if he is found guilty of the felony charges. His trial is scheduled for July 10. He was released from the Lake County jail after posting bail.

His attorney, Jed Stone, said he plans to file a motion within the next few weeks to have the charges dismissed.

Contributing: AP