Edward Petka
Encyclopedia
Edward Petka was a state's attorney in Will County, Illinois, where he was nicknamed "Electric Ed" for putting more people on death row than anyone else in Illinois history. He later served in the Illinois House of Representatives
from 1987 to 1993 and then as a Republican
member of the Illinois Senate
representing the state's 42nd district from 1993 to 2007. As a state senator, he worked with his colleague Barack Obama
to reform the state's death-penalty process, mandating the videotaping of police interrogations in murder and homicide cases. In 2006 Ed Petka was elected a 12th Circuit Court Judge.
Illinois House of Representatives
The Illinois House of Representatives is the lower house of the Illinois General Assembly, the state legislature of the U.S. state of Illinois. The body was created by the first Illinois Constitution adopted in 1818. The state House of Representatives is made of 118 representatives elected from...
from 1987 to 1993 and then as a Republican
Republican Party (United States)
The Republican Party is one of the two major contemporary political parties in the United States, along with the Democratic Party. Founded by anti-slavery expansion activists in 1854, it is often called the GOP . The party's platform generally reflects American conservatism in the U.S...
member of the Illinois Senate
Illinois Senate
The Illinois Senate is the upper chamber of the Illinois General Assembly, the legislative branch of the government of the state of Illinois in the United States. The body was created by the first state constitution adopted in 1818. The Illinois Senate is made up of 59 senators elected from...
representing the state's 42nd district from 1993 to 2007. As a state senator, he worked with his colleague Barack Obama
Barack Obama
Barack Hussein Obama II is the 44th and current President of the United States. He is the first African American to hold the office. Obama previously served as a United States Senator from Illinois, from January 2005 until he resigned following his victory in the 2008 presidential election.Born in...
to reform the state's death-penalty process, mandating the videotaping of police interrogations in murder and homicide cases. In 2006 Ed Petka was elected a 12th Circuit Court Judge.