A man claiming to be the governor of Illinois sent a strange letter asking for the closure of the George N. Leighton Criminal Courts Building in Chicago on Thursday—and surprisingly, his request was granted.
The letter, addressed to various state and local authorities, asked for court operations to stop at 2 p.m. “to protect the safety of judges, courthouse staff, and litigants.” The man also requested police enforcement to prevent anyone from entering the building. Although the letter included no threats of violence, it disrupted one of the country’s busiest courthouses, where criminal cases from across the city are heard.
The Chief Judge’s Office received the letter shortly before noon. In response, judges began wrapping up hearings and shutting down courtrooms in the afternoon. By 2 p.m., the courthouse was officially closed.
The sheriff’s office increased security measures and conducted a thorough search of the grounds using a K9 unit. Officials later confirmed that there was no credible threat to the judiciary or the public. According to the sheriff’s office, the man who sent the letter was someone law enforcement agencies have dealt with frequently in the past. They described the letter as mostly “unintelligible.”
Despite the lack of an actual threat, Criminal Division Presiding Judge Erica Reddick decided to close the building as a precaution. She instructed all judges and staff to leave by 2 p.m. to ensure everyone’s safety.
The closure caused significant disruptions. At least one jury trial was paused, and some detention hearings were canceled because court calls ended early.
State’s Attorney Eileen O’Neill Burke’s Chief of Staff, Garvin Ambrose, sent an email telling prosecutors to leave by 1:30 p.m. “Out of caution, we’re asking employees to head home to stay safe,” Ambrose wrote.
Similarly, the public defender’s office sent an email around 1 p.m. advising its staff to leave after learning courtrooms were shutting down. It’s unclear if all courthouse staff received similar instructions.
While no real danger was posed, the abrupt closure highlighted how even an unusual request can temporarily derail court operations in the name of safety.
