RESOLUTION
WHEREAS, Kenneth Thompson has gone to his eternal reward at the age 50; and
WHEREAS, The Chicago City Council has been informed of his passing by Alderman Edward M. Burke; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Thompson was the loving husband of Lu-Shawn; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Thompson was the much-adored father of Kennedy and Kenneth Jr. to whom he imparted many of the fine and noble qualities that he possessed in abundance; and
WHEREAS, A native of New York, Kenneth Thompson graduated from John Jay College and New York University Law School; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Thompson served as a Special Assistant to the U.S. Treasury Department Undersecretary for Enforcement in Washington, D.C., and as a federal prosecutor for the Eastern District of New York where he won a case against a New York City police officer accused of the 1997 beating and torture of a Haitian immigrant; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Thompson enjoyed a high-profile career in private practice and co-founded the law firm Thompson Wigdor; and
WHEREAS, In 2013 Kenneth Thompson became the first African-American elected to serve as Brooklyn District Attorney after campaigning to restore confidence in the criminal justice system; and
WHEREAS, During his tenure in office, Kenneth Thompson established a Conviction Review Unit which moved to vacate or support the dismissal of 21 wrongly convicted people within only three years; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Thompson also enacted a policy not to prosecute low-level marijuana possession arrests; and
WHEREAS, The hard work, sacrifice and dedication of Kenneth Thompson serve as an example to all; and
WHEREAS, Kenneth Thompson was an individual of great integrity and accomplishment who will be dearly missed and fondly remembered by his many relatives, friends and admirers; and
WHEREAS, To his beloved family, Kenneth Thompson imparts a legacy of faithfulness, service and dignity; now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED, That we, the Mayor and the members of the Chicago City Council, asse...
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