Amy Campanelli to seek 2nd term as Cook County public defender

Cook County Public Defender Amy Campanelli announced Thursday she will seek a second six-year term.

Earlier this week, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle announced the formation of a selection committee to review potential candidates for the job, including Campanelli.

“When the last Public Defender’s term came to an end in 2015, I promised the residents of Cook County an open, transparent selection process,” Preckwinkle said in a news release. “I remain committed to that promise and am confident that this process will produce the candidate best equipped to deliver high-quality legal representation to our residents who need it most.”

The committee will recommend three candidates at the end of its review process for appointment, Preckwinkle’s office said.

Campanelli was appointed as the county’s 10th public defender in 2015, and her current term ends in March.

Last summer, the public defender joined activist groups in a lawsuit that accused the Chicago Police Department of a “long record” of denying rights to arrestees, including access to an attorney and phone calls.

Campanelli also called for an additional $250,000 in funding for her office to provide free immigration attorneys for those in need.

In her announcement Thursday, Campanelli said she was “greatly appreciative of President Preckwinkle’s support for all her initiatives during the past six years” and added she would “continue to advocate that the criminal justice system be just for all.”