Former Illinois Gov. James ‘Big Jim’ Thompson dies at 84
Illinois’ longest serving executive, former Gov. James “Big Jim” Thompson, 84, died Friday evening.
The former governor had been recovered after suffering heart problems weeks earlier. He died at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, according to the Chicago Tribune, citing a police report.
Thompson, a Chicago-based Republican, was first elected in 1976 and served four terms until 1991.
He also served as an assistant attorney general and a U.S. attorney. According to the Associated Press, he made a name for himself with anti-corruption cases, including the prosecution of former Gov. Otto Kerner Jr.
This story was originally published August 15, 2020 at 12:19 PM.
Kavahn Mansouri
Belleville News-Democrat