Longtime U.S. District Court Judge James Zagel, the former leader of the Illinois State Police who went on to preside over the corruption trial of former Gov. Rod Blagojevich, the landmark Family Secrets mob trial, and many other of the area’s biggest cases, died Saturday night after a long illness, according to court officials. He was 82.
Known for his wry sense of humor, unflappable demeanor, and side projects that included acting and penning a well-regarded legal thriller novel, Zagel ran a no-nonsense courtroom and became one of the premier faces of Chicago’s federal court.
“Judge James Zagel was not only a much-admired federal judge; he played one in the movies,” U.S. District Chief Judge Rebecca Pallmeyer wrote in a statement. “Anyone who knew him could see why: he looked the part, and he truly inhabited the role, reflecting the best of the third branch in his wisdom, common sense, and dry wit.”
