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Lacy Thomas, former CEO of University Medical Center, appears in court during a break in jury selection at the Regional Justice Center Monday, March 22, 2010.
By Cara McCoy 
Published Monday, March 22, 2010 | 1:42 p.m.
Updated Monday, March 22, 2010 | 5:04 p.m.
A jury was seated Monday in the trial of Lacy Thomas, the former director of University Medical Center who is on trial this week on charges of theft and misconduct.
Seven men and seven women, including two alternates, will hear the case against the former UMC boss, who prosecutors say cost the county hospital an estimated $10 million in no-bid and no-work contracts. They say he gave the contracts to friends and associates in Chicago, where he ran the John H. Stroger Jr. Hospital, formerly called Cook County Hospital.
Thomas, indicted by a grand jury in February 2008, has pleaded not guilty to the five counts of felony theft and five counts of felony misconduct of a public officer against him. If convicted, he could be sentenced to decades behind bars.
Opening arguments are set to begin at 10 a.m. Tuesday in front of District Court Judge Michael P. Villani. Witnesses expected to testify Tuesday include, among others, County Counsel Mary-Anne Miller and County Manager Virginia Valentine.
County commissioners fired Thomas in January 2007 for mismanagement. He was hired in 2004.
The trial is expected to last at least a week and a half.
Sun Archives
- Lacy Thomas’ rising star came crashing down with firing (3-18-10)
- Former UMC chief set to stand trial on theft, misconduct charges (3-18-10)
- A black eye in medicine brings posturing, again (4-9-2009)
- Testimony: Thomas boldly cut iffy deals (2-26-2008)
- Indictment says UMC chief made no-work deals (2-21-2008)
- Former UMC boss indicted (2-20-2008)
- DA will go after former UMC boss (1-04-2008)
who hired this guy?
The future of health care in America. Mismanagement and theft by the very people telling us more government will make things better. No one steals more than government officials.
This and welfare abuse, I believe is the worst type of crime out there. It only takes away the public trust from an organization. But it takes away from those that really do need the services that this kind of corruption has cost us all.
Especially know in todays time when there are so many people out there that could use the help, that wont be there because this person is a greedy slime ball.
They just made major cuts in health care for the poor end elderly, not only that but they cut in so many other areas that is a lift up for the poor and elderly. And then you hear about this, its a shame, its a shame that there are so much abuse at all levels of governement programs. This is why so many people would like to see these social programs done away with so there is not this kind of abuse.
Who hired this guy, you ask? He is a friend of former commissioner Yvonne Atkinson-Gates, that's how "Slim" got here. Yvonne is/was head of that dynamic construction company Homes by Yvonne, and is the wife of Judge Lee Gates, who both lived in a multi-million dollar mansion, yet were paid roughly $200,000 as county employees.
District Attorney David Roger I guess did not feel like taking anything involving Yvonne and "Slim" Lacy to the grand jury and let them decide whether to indict her.
Just a coincidence that Yvonne, whose mansion was NOT in her district, yet she claimed to live in another abode in her district, quit her job as county commissioner on the day the FBI showed up.
I never believed she did not live in that mansion. Boggs-McDonald was prosecuted for not actually living in her district, but Queen Yvonne gets a pass.
In my opinion there was no way Queen Yvonne was gonna let Judge Lee wash himself in a marbled bathtub in luxury while she was relegated to a tile tub. Never gonna happen in my estimation.
I wonder when the race card will be played. You know it will be. It's just a matter of time when the defense runs out of options.
We should be happy with Mr. Thomas the Nevada transplant!
Happy that UMC had to go out of state to find a person of questionable values that is!
It was lack of proper Health Care that made him do it.
Think this guy has ever voted for a Republican in his life?
Comment removed by moderator. Comment was off-topic.