Will County State’s Attorney commends prosecution of first jury trial at new courthouse

Will County State’s Attorney James Glasgow announced the successful prosecution of the first jury trial at the new courthouse after trials were suspended in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

The 10-story courthouse first opened on Nov. 2 but both civil and criminal jury trials had been suspended since spring 2020 because of the COVID-19 outbreak, according to a news release from the Will County State’s Attorney’s Office.

The trial on April 13 was over a misdemeanor aggravated speeding case against 32-year-old Timothy Sunzere, Glasgow’s spokeswoman Carole Cheney said. Sunzere has addresses listed in Wilmington and New Lenox, court records show.

Assistant State’s Attorneys James Zanayed and Kaitlyn Leone prosecuted the case before Judge Matt Bertani and Sunzere represented himself, court records show.

The trial lasted one day and 12 jurors deliberated for roughly 30 minutes before finding Sunzere guilty of driving 86 mph in a 55 mph zone, court records show.

Sunzere is scheduled for sentencing on Tuesday.

Glasgow said in a statement that winning the first jury trial in the new courthouse – following the absence of jury trials for over a year – is “truly an historic event.”

“To honor this seminal moment, we are establishing a commemorative wall in the State’s Attorney’s Office to recognize significant achievements by our team in the new courthouse – and this will be at the top of the display,” Glasgow said.

Glasgow said he told Zanayed and Leone that “they have accomplished something that no one else can match, because there is only one first jury trial in the new courthouse.”

Glasgow said his office is “very proud” of Zanayed and Leone.

“I look forward to similarly commemorating future noteworthy achievements by our prosecutors in the new Will County Courthouse,” Glasgow said.