U.S. District Judge Harry Leinenweber, who presided over R. Kelly’s trial on child sex abuse charges, has sadly passed away at the age of 87. The news of his death was confirmed by the eastern division of the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois on Tuesday evening. It was reported that Judge Leinenweber had been battling lung cancer earlier this year and passed away at his home in Florida, where he lived with his wife.
Chief Judge Rebecca R. Pallmeyer of the Northern District of Illinois paid tribute to Judge Leinenweber, describing him as a friend, mentor, and model jurist. She expressed deep sadness at his passing and extended condolences to his family. Judge Leinenweber was nominated to the bench by President Ronald Reagan in 1985, and although he took semi-retirement in 2002, he continued to work until his passing.
One of Judge Leinenweber’s most notable cases was presiding over R. Kelly’s trial in 2022. The Grammy Award-winning singer was convicted of producing sexually explicit videos of children and enticing girls for sex. Following the trial, Judge Leinenweber sentenced Kelly to 20 years in prison in the Illinois case. Kelly’s attorney, Jennifer Bonojean, expressed her admiration for Judge Leinenweber, noting that he always allowed attorneys to do their job without bias.
In addition to the R. Kelly trial, Judge Leinenweber also oversaw a bribery conspiracy case last year that exposed pay-to-play politics in Illinois. The trial resulted in four people being convicted, including two former executives of utility company ComEd. The case shed light on corruption in Illinois politics, implicating former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan. Madigan has since been indicted in the case, and his trial is set to begin next year.
Robert Gaines, a juror in the ComEd trial, praised Judge Leinenweber for his courtroom demeanor, describing him as calm, fair, and in control. He highlighted the judge’s ability to maintain order while allowing for a fair trial process. Judge Leinenweber’s passing leaves a void in the legal community, with many remembering him for his dedication to justice and his impartiality on the bench.
