Cook County Circuit Judge Thomas E. Nowinski, who was elected to the bench in 2022, has requested a transfer out of the Domestic Violence Division following his controversial decisions in two cases that resulted in the tragic deaths of a child and a woman.
Nowinski, who has been in the spotlight for his handling of domestic violence protection orders, will now be reassigned to hear misdemeanor and traffic cases effective January 21, 2025, as announced by Cook County Chief Judge Timothy C. Evans.
This decision comes after public outcry over Nowinski’s rulings, particularly his handling of the case involving Lacramioara Beldie, a 54-year-old woman killed by her husband, Constantin Beldie, in November 2024.
Despite being charged with choking and attempting to kidnap his wife on October 9, 2024, Constantin Beldie was released on GPS monitoring, which failed to detect a violation when he entered an exclusion zone. The day after a court appearance, he fatally stabbed his wife and then took his own life.
Chief Judge Evans issued a press release acknowledging an “apparent failure” by the GPS technician monitoring Beldie’s whereabouts, which contributed to the tragic events. The technician was temporarily suspended and later resigned during the disciplinary review.
Another case that raised concern involved the fatal stabbing of 11-year-old Jayden Perkins on March 15, 2024. The boy was allegedly killed by his mother’s ex-boyfriend, Crosetti Brand, who had been released from prison the day before the incident.
This occurred just weeks after Nowinski denied a protective order for the victim, despite the request being made while Brand was incarcerated. The killing has sparked calls for greater collaboration to improve protections for survivors of domestic violence.
In a statement, Chief Judge Evans highlighted the tragedy, stating that “this tragedy has also revealed the need for increased collaboration to improve protection for survivors of domestic violence.”
However, some, including Illinois Comptroller Susana Mendoza, have called for Judge Nowinski’s resignation, criticizing the system’s failure to protect the victims.
Mendoza stated: “Two dead people who went before a judge were denied help. The offenders, in fact, got more help from that judge and from the system overall than the victims did.”
Judge Nowinski’s transfer is seen as a response to the public outcry and criticism surrounding his handling of these high-profile domestic violence cases.
