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Cook County State's Attorney Richard Devine announced Friday he will not be running for a fourth term, saying he had not "salted a great deal away" for his old age and hoped to do so working somewhere else, possibly in private practice.
Less than two weeks after winning prosecutors a hard-fought pay hike, Devine said salary also played a role in his decision to bow out of the $160,000 job as the county's top prosecutor.
"I could go out and be a first-year associate at a big law firm and earn more than I do now," quipped Devine, 64, the father of four grown children. "The economics will be better no matter what I do."
In 1980, Devine left a partnership spot at Shefsky, Froelich & Devine to join Mayor Daley, then the newly-elected state's attorney, as first assistant for three years. He returned to the state's attorney's office in 1996, after winning the top spot away from Republican incumbent Jack O'Malley.
'Not ready for the drool cup'
However, Devine revealed Friday, "I have not, over the years, salted a great deal away." He said he was concerned about providing "a little security down the road" for himself and his family.
"I'm not ready for the drool cup yet, but as time goes on, your ability to go out and provide for yourself and others can be reduced," Devine told a gathering of reporters Friday.
"You've got to start looking at the actuarial tables and say 'I may have five, 10 -- who knows how many -- great years [left] but I'm going to start to take advantage of them.'"
Devine ticked off a long list of accomplishments during his watch at the nation's second-largest prosecutor's office, including a series of juvenile justice reforms, the office's first Domestic Violence and Cold Case units, the conviction of a school superintendent for stealing $400,000 from his south suburban district, and his personal prosecution of Juan Luna in the Brown's Chicken murder case.
Some have questioned if Devine could have done more to investigate claims that detectives under former Area 2 Commander Jon Burge tortured suspects. Devine said the statute of limitations blocked any prosecution and "we maybe could have done a better job explaining some of that but as far as the legal aspects . . . we made the right calls."
Though Devine called his departure announcement a "melancholy" one for him personally, his sense of humor was on frequent display. Asked if he had job lined up with a law firm, Devine responded, "Oh no, no. I don't have anything lined up. I don't even have lunch lined up. I'm just going to see what comes down the road."
Devine's first assistant, Robert Milan, said Devine will be remembered for "his class and dignity" through some very tough times, including employee layoffs and the latest pay battle.
"He led the motto that cool heads prevail," said Milan. "Under his leadership, this office is the best it's ever been."