RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Maureen O'Brien, a highly esteemed criminal prosecutor, has officially concluded her tenure as Supervisor of the Fourth Municipal District of the Cook County State's Attorney's Office; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of this event by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, The daughter and granddaughter of dedicated public servants, Maureen O'Brien graduated from Trinity High School and St. Mary's College of Notre Dame before earning her Juris Doctorate at the Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent College of Law; and
WHEREAS, Maureen O'Brien was sworn in as an Assistant State's Attorney on November 19, 1984, and began working in the Appeals Division before quickly ascending through the Juvenile Division to the Felony Trial Division; and
WHEREAS, Maureen O'Brien prosecuted 100 criminal felony jury trials to verdicts securing convictions on behalf of the People of the State of Illinois in 93, with only 2 hung juries; and
WHEREAS, Maureen O'Brien was admitted as Lead Counsel to the Illinois Supreme Court's Capital Litigation Trial Bar in 2002; and
WHEREAS, Maureen O'Brien served as First Chair in 34 of the 40 murder juries she prosecuted on behalf ofthe People, securing convictions in 37 of those cases; and
WHEREAS, Maureen O'Brien is devoted to her family and has always ensured that she balance her commitments as a top prosecutor with the needs of her loving husband, Dan Watts, and their cherished sons Dan and Hugh; and
WHEREAS, Maureen O'Brien enjoyed a highly distinguished career during which she upheld the finest and most noble traditions of the Office of the Cook County State's Attorney; and
WHEREAS, Maureen O'Brien officially retired after devoting more than 30 years of her life to the service ofthe people ofthe Cook County; and
WHEREAS, Under the leadership and guidance of Maureen O'Brien, dozen of attorneys have honed their skills and learned the mechanics of being great trial lawyers; and
WHEREAS, Maureen O'Brien's dedication to the citizens of Cook County has personally ensured that Cook County is the safe, healthy and vibrant community it is today; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council, assembled this thirtieth day of April, 2014, do hereby express our gratitude and heartfelt appreciation to Maureen O'Brien on the occasion of her retirement; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That a suitable parchment copy of this resolution be presented to Maureen O'Brien.