Anita Alvarez
Anita Alvarez | |
|---|---|
| Cook County State's Attorney | |
| Assumed office 2008 | |
| Preceded by | Richard A. Devine |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Chicago |
| Political party | Democratic |
| Residence | Chicago |
| Occupation | Attorney |
Anita Alvarez is the Cook County State's Attorney.[1][2][3] Alvarez is the "first Hispanic woman" elected to this position.[4] She also was the "first Latina" to win the Democratic nomination for state attorney of Cook County.[5][6]
Legal career and entry into politics
Prior to attaining this position, Anita Alvarez served as the Chief Deputy of the Cook County State’s Attorney’s Office, Chief of Staff to Cook County State’s Attorney Richard A. Devine, Chief of the Special Prosecutions Bureau, Deputy Chief of the Narcotics Bureau and Supervisor of the Public Integrity Unit.
2008 General Election
Anita Alvarez was elected as Cook County State's Attorney in November 2008. Alvarez faced two challengers from both the Republican and Green Party in November 2008's general election. The two challengers were Cook County Commissioner for the 16th district Tony Peraica, and the Green Party's Thomas O'Brien.
Past election history
Awards
In 2001, Alvarez was honored as Person of the Year by Chicago Lawyer magazine.[7]
In 2009, Alvarez received an honor from the March of Dimes at its annual breakfast.[8]
Criticism
Alvarez has been intensely criticized by groups concerned with wrongful convictions. In 2011, the Innocence Project launched a petition criticizing her refusal to test DNA evidence that may exonerate nine men convicted of rapes and homicides, five of whom remain incarcerated. [9] [10]
Early life
Alvarez graduated from St. Paul - Our Lady of Vilna School in Chicago. She attended Loyola University Chicago as an undergraduate, and Chicago-Kent College of Law as a law student.[11]
Current Work
Anita Alvarez is currently pursuing charges against Tiawanda Moore who is being charged with recording a police officer's inappropriate sexual advances towards her. According to the Huffington Post "When Chicago police answered a domestic disturbance call at the home of Tiawanda Moore and her boyfriend in July 2010, the officers separated the couple to question them individually. Moore was interviewed privately in her bedroom. According to Moore, the officer who questioned her then came on to her, groped her breast and slipped her his home phone number."[12] In Illinois it is against the law to record anyone, audio or visual, without his or her consent.
Sources
References
- ^ Message from the State's Attorney www.statesattorney.org Retrieved: 2010-04-08.
- ^ Chicago Girls Practicing "Survival Sex" www.nbcchicago.com Retrieved: 2010-04-08.
- ^ Friends of Anita Alvarez Purpose: to support Anita Alvarez for public office www.elections.state.il.us Retrieved: 2010-04-08.
- ^ Alvarez sworn in as state's attorney www.chicagobreakingnews.com Retrieved: 2010-04-08.
- ^ Alvarez get Democrat nod for Cook County state's attorney www.dailyherald.com Retrieved: 2010-04-08.
- ^ Alvarez Wins Democratic State's Attorney Race cbs2chicago.com Retrieved: 2010-04-08.
- ^ Meet Anita www.anitaalvarez2008.com Retrieved: 2010-04-08.
- ^ The March of Dimes Honors Tammy Duckworth, Anita Alvarez and Kwame Raoul at its Annual 'Faces of Our Success' Awards Breakfast in Chicago www.earthtimes.org Retrieved: 2010-04-08.
- ^ Help Free Five Innocent Men https://secure2.convio.net/ip/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=223 Retrieved: 2011-09-23.
- ^ http://www.change.org/innocence_project http://www.change.org/innocence_project Retrieved: 2011-09-23.
- ^ Anita Alvarez www.nationaljournal.com Retrieved: 2010-04-08.
- ^ "Huffington Post". Chicago State's Attorney Lets Bad Cops Slide, Prosecutes Citizens Who Record Them. Retrieved 9 June 2011.