In this “Life Before Law” podcast series debut, host Andrew Whitfield interviews John Kezdy, friend, former boss and former Bureau Chief of the Statewide Grand Jury Bureau at the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. Prior to beginning his stellar law career, John and his band, The Effigies, were at the forefront of the Chicago punk rock scene in the early 1980s. In their discussion, John expresses to Andrew his love of the punk rock scene and his experiences touring with the band. John also details his
transition into law and throws in a few of his favorite courthouses in the
state. Tragically, John Kezdy passed away shortly after recording this podcast. That sad reality makes this episode that much more important to all of us at the Kane County Bar Association and we would like to offer this as a tribute to John Kezdy, his legacy and his memory.
John Kezdy graduated from Northwestern University and DePaul College of Law. He became a prosecutor following law school and spent over twenty years at the helm of the Statewide Grand Jury Bureau at the Office of the Illinois Attorney General. There, John prosecuted thousands of drug traffickers and firearms traffickers over his esteemed career. He was a frequent lecturer to law enforcement and was well known for his willingness to take on the tough cases. His career was filled with
accolades from numerous local, state and federal law enforcement partners. He was constantly seeking to improve the law and to hold bad actors accountable.
Last year, John was in the process of retiring when he and his wife were both shot in the Highland Park mass shooting on the 4th of July. John did not let his injuries deter his efforts to continue to serve the residents of Illinois. Though retired, he returned to serve as a trusted adviser to the State-Wide Grand Jury team. John was an avid cyclist often competing in road races throughout the Midwest. He was a brilliant and passionate man who led a full life.
About the Host
Andrew G. Whitfield is the Immediate Past President of the Kane County Bar Association. Andrew is an Assistant Attorney General at the Illinois Attorney General’s Office, where he is the Deputy Chief of the Statewide Grand Jury Bureau. In that capacity, Andrew investigates and prosecutes multi-county drug trafficking, gunrunning, and money laundering offenses that are brought through various federal, state, and local agencies. Andrew has prosecuted cases in the following counties: Boone, Cook, DuPage, Grundy, Kane, Kendall, Lake, Lee, Whiteside, and Will.
Andrew was also an Assistant State’s Attorney in Kane County for eleven years. Andrew is a member of the Judicial Evaluation Committee for Counties Outside Cook and the Corrections and Sentencing
Committee, the Prosecutor Bar Association, and has given several presentations regarding topics such as drug-induced homicide, Fourth Amendment search and seizure issues, jury instructions, and other criminal law related topics to other prosecutors and law enforcement during his time at the Kane County State’s Attorney’s Office and Illinois Attorney General’s Office.
Andrew can be reached at whitfieldandrewg@gmail.com
The music for this series is "We'll Be Here Tomorrow" by the Effigies.
