Cook County Judge takes the 5th over beatings at jail

The Chicago Tribune reports on the Cook County way:

A Cook County judge repeatedly invoked his 5th Amendment right against self-incrimination during a deposition about allegations that jail officials covered up beatings of inmates during his tenure as a close aide to Sheriff Michael Sheahan.

Circuit Judge Jim Ryan refused to answer questions 150 times during a deposition taken in a federal lawsuit filed by two former jail guards, according to a transcript of Ryan's testimony.

Ryan's lawyers originally had sought to withhold the transcript but released it to the Tribune after the newspaper filed a motion before the judge handling the former guards' suit.

In the deposition taken Aug. 30, Ryan answered nine initial questions about where he had gone to college and to law school and confirming that he was a lawyer and a judge.

When asked about working for the state's attorney's office after law school, Ryan replied, "On the advice of counsel, I respectfully decline to answer based upon my privilege under the 5th Amendment."

This is rather fascinating,isn't working for the state's attorney of cook county a "legitimate" job?