DuPage County judge removed from bench after reckless conduct arrest

DuPage County Judge Patrick O'Shea has been removed from all his judicial duties after his arrest Friday on a reckless conduct charge in Wheaton.

Wheaton police on Monday said O'Shea, 67, of the 200 block of E. Willow Road, was arrested on a warrant stemming from Sept. 15 when he is accused of "acting in a reckless manner when a loaded gun was discharged within his residence."

Deputy Police Chief William Murphy said police believe O'Shea was alone when it happened and that the shooting was not reported to police until Sept. 24.

O'Shea is free after posting $5,000 bail and his first court appearance is scheduled for Nov. 15.

In a written statement, DuPage Chief Judge Kathryn Creswell said the Executive Committee of the DuPage Circuit Court, which includes the presiding judges of the court's five divisions, made the decision to strip O'Shea of his duties after he was charged with the misdemeanor offense.

O'Shea also was stripped of his unrestricted access to court facilities.

According to the written statement, O'Shea will be escorted by deputies should he have court business.

O'Shea did not immediately respond to an email request for comment.

Paul Darrah, spokesman for DuPage County State's Attorney Robert Berlin, said the case is being prosecuted by the state appellate prosecutor's office in Springfield. A spokesman for that office confirmed its involvement in the probe.

O'Shea was elected circuit judge in 2012 and has been assigned to the law division since 2014.

He previously served on the DuPage County Board from 1990 to 2012, when he was elected to the bench.