(Photo courtesy Facebook/Charles Witte)
By Eric Stock
BLOOMINGTON – A former McLean County judge is being remembered as a larger than life figure.
Charles Witte, 74, died Sunday at Barnes-Jewish Hospital in St. Louis after a lengthy illness.
Retired judge Ron Dozier served with Witte on the bench for many years. Witte defeated Dozier in an election for McLean County circuit judge in 1987 and he was later assigned to Witte’s former associate judge seat and later joined him as a circuit judge.
“I think people felt like even if they disagreed with things he did or said on the bench, his heart was in the right place,” Dozier said. “He made a big impression on people. He was a larger than life personality and most of the time it was a good impression.”
Witte was likely best known for presiding over the triple-murder trial from the shootings at S&S Liquors in Bloomington. The gunman in that case, Glenn Wilson, was sentenced to death, but is serving life in prison as the state has since abolished the death penalty.
Retired chief judge in the 11th Judicial Circuit, Elizabeth Robb, said when she defended clients in Witte’s courtroom as a young public defender of juvenile clients she had to prepare them for tough questions.
“We knew he was not going to let a defendant off easily,” Robb said. “There were some tough times and some defendants weren’t prepared to answer questions and they paid the price for that.
“Judge Witte was very passionate about juvenile law and took those cases very seriously.”
Robb noted Witte was also instrumental in setting up mock trials in McLean County court, so grade school students could better understand how the justice system works.
Witte’s obituary, including funeral arrangements, can be read here.
Eric Stock can be reached at eric.stock@cumulus.com.
