DuPage Judge Retaliated Over Sex Harassment Reports: Complaint

DUPAGE COUNTY, IL — A DuPage County Circuit Court judge is being accused by an inquiry board of lying to investigators over a reckless conduct investigation and of retaliating against a female employee over a sexual harassment allegations, according to a complaint. Judge Patrick O'Shea filed a complaint about one of the employees 10 days after learning of the alleged sexual harassment incident, reports say.

The complaint, filed by the Illinois Judicial Inquiry Board, claims that the women's "credible and substantiated," accusations "met the definition of sexual harassment,” according to the Chicago Tribune.

In the two separate accusations, women said O'Shea made discomforting comments about their appearance the complaint said, according to the Tribune. One was in his courtroom and the other an elevator.

The inquiry board's complaint says O'Shea was "specifically admonished that he was prohibited by the policy from retaliating against any complainant."

However, 10 days after O'Shea was notified of an accusation, he filed a complaint against the woman. He said her timeliness, motivation, knowledge and skills were inadequate and challenged the sexual harassment accusation, the inquiry board's complaint says, the Tribune reports.

In September 2017, O'Shea was charged with misdemeanor reckless conduct after a gun was shot in his home. The bullet went through the wall and into an adjoining unit.

See more:

• Arrested Judge Allegedly Blamed Bullet Hole On A Screwdriver: Wheaton Cops
• DuPage County Judge Removed From Office, Must Surrender Firearms After Loaded Gun Discharged In Home: Cops

At first, O'Shea said he was hanging a mirror on Sept. 15 when the screwdriver accidentally went through the wall. On Sept. 24, the neighbors found what appeared to be a spent bullet on their floor across the room from where the hole was found, according to a police report.

The Daily Herald reports a criminal complaint as saying O'Shea "pulled the trigger without first determining that the firearm was not loaded, causing the firearm to discharge, causing a bullet to enter the living area of the adjoining apartment."

O'Shea allegedly later told property management that the hole was made by his son, who was using a pneumatic nail gun in O'Shea's bedroom, the police report indicates. O'Shea is then said to have offered to purchase his neighbors a $250 gift card as an apology. Police ordered him to surrender his firearms and licenses.

Accusers say O'Shea's stories of his son and of the screwdriver were knowingly "false and misleading" statements to investigators.

Kane County Judge Keith Johnson said in March 2018 that nobody was endangered since nobody was home in the adjacent unit, leading to a not guilty verdict.

“Judge O’Shea is a good judge and an honorable person,” Adrian Vukovich, O'Shea's attorney said, according to the Tribune. “We don’t think because there’s some kind of personality conflict between people, that amounts to misconduct by a judge. The truth will show that Judge O’Shea has not done anything improper.”

The Illinois Courts Commission will find out whether the allegations against O'Shea are true and, if so, decide whether to reprimand, suspend or dismiss him, the Tribune reports.

Article image via Wheaton Police Department