Dozens of elected officials are calling for the permanent reassignment of Cook County Judge Thomas Nowinski from the Domestic Violence Division. Their demand follows the alleged murder of Lacramioara Beldie, 54, who was allegedly stabbed to death by her husband, Constantin Beldie, 57, one month after Judge Nowinski denied a petition to detain him pending trial on charges of choking and attempted kidnapping. Despite two prior protective order filings by Ms. Beldie, Nowinski released Constantin Beldie on GPS monitoring.
This is not an isolated incident. Earlier this year, Nowinski denied a protective order against Crosetti Brand, a convicted felon with a history of domestic violence. Brand was later charged with stabbing the woman who sought protection and killing her 11-year-old son. These cases have prompted almost 30 Chicago-area elected officials, including alderpersons and district councilors, to sign a letter to Cook County Chief Judge Timothy Evans demanding Nowinski’s reassignment and a review of pretrial services procedures at the Domestic Violence Courthouse.
The letter argues that in both cases, Nowinski failed to adequately consider crucial information, leaving the victims vulnerable. While acknowledging that reassignment alone won’t solve systemic problems, the officials call for ensuring all court staff are properly equipped to handle such cases and suggest changes to the judicial assignment process to prevent less-experienced judges from handling sensitive domestic violence cases. State Representative Kelly Cassidy highlights the concern that domestic violence court is often an initial assignment for new judges, a situation she deems unacceptable given the complexity and sensitivity of these cases.
Concerns raised during Constantin Beldie’s detention hearing included the preparation of evidence and the omission of prior protective orders from the pretrial services safety assessment. Chief Judge Evans announced an investigation into whether any employee failed to follow policies and procedures in the Beldie case, but no updates have been provided. The elected officials’ letter further demands a full internal review of pretrial services procedures to ensure adequate support for domestic violence judges. The lack of action and the repetition of these tragic outcomes underscore the urgency of the officials’ call for immediate and meaningful reform.