Chicago (WICS/WRSP) — The first African American to serve on the Illinois Supreme Court as Chief Justice has passed away.
Justice Charles E. Freeman died at the age of 86 on March 2, 2020.
“It is with great sadness that I have learned of the passing of Justice Charles E. Freeman. Charles and I had been acquaintances for several decades before I joined the court, having often attended many of the same social events,”
Chief Justice Anne M. Burke said. “However, we became close friends once we became colleagues and I considered Charles to be my mentor. He was a gentleman and a truly gracious individual. I never heard him say an unkind word about anyone. He was a consensus builder and treated everyone equally and with respect.”
“It is a very sad day. When Justice Freeman retired, we lost his incredible institutional knowledge about the workings of the court,” Justice Thomas L. Kilbride said. “He really left his mark with a vast array of legal writings – both majority and dissent.”
“Charles and I came from very different backgrounds, and we didn’t always see eye-to-eye on the law, but he was always one of my closest friends on the court,” said retired Justice Robert R. Thomas. “We shared so many great laughs over the years, and I will miss him dearly.”
Justice Freeman is survived by his son, Kevin (wife Cami) Freeman, grandchildren Skye Marie Freeman and Miles Charles Freeman, as well as his brother James Freeman in Richmond, Va.
A memorial service hosted in Chicago by the Illinois Supreme Court will be announced at a later date.
