At a reception on March 31, 2011, to honor employees of the Capital Trial Assistance Unit, the Capital Post-Conviction Unit and the Supreme Court Unit the attorneys were presented with the final Richard E. Cunningham award. Those who were able to attend the reception are from left to right in the back row: Timothy Capps, Staff Attorney in the Belleville Capital Trial Assistance Unit; Duane Schuster, Assistant Appellate Defender in the Supreme Court Unit; Greg Swygert, Staff Attorney in the Capital Post-Conviction Unit; Miriam Sierig, Staff Attorney in the Capital Post-Conviction Unit; Kim Robert Fawcett, Staff Attorney in the Supreme Court Unit. From left to right in the front row: Justyna Garbaczewska Scalpone, Assistant Deputy Defender in the Capital Post-Conviction Unit; Tiffany Green, Staff Attorney in the Capital Post-Conviction Unit; Geneva Penson, Staff Attorney in the Capital Post-Conviction Unit; and Michael J. Pelletier, State Appellate Defender.

Also at the reception on March 31, 2011, support staff members of the Capital Trial Assistance Unit, Capital Post-Conviction Unit, and the Supreme Court Unit were honored in recognition of their years of outstanding service and contributions to providing quality representation to our capital clients. Those who were able to attend the reception are from left to right in the back row: Marylynne Kaplan, Mitigation Specialist in the Capital Post-Conviction Unit; Eddie Torres, Investigator in the Capital Post-Conviction Unit; Joanna Ossowska, Administrative Secretary in the Capital Post-Conviction Unit; Wendi Liss, Mitigation Specialist in the Chicago Capital Trial Assistance Unit; and Michael J. Pelletier, State Appellate Defender. From left to right in the front row: Steven Spearie, Investigator in the Capital Post-Conviction Unit; Jennifer Parrack, Mitigation Specialist in the Chicago Capital Trial Assistance Unit, and Mary Ann Campbell, Paralegal in the Belleville Capital Trial Assistance Unit.

Additionally at the reception, the Deputy Defenders of the Capital Trial Assistance Unit, the Capital Post-Conviction Unit, and the Supreme Court Unit were honored. Pictured from left to right: Anne Carlson, Deputy Defender of the Capital Post-Conviction Unit; Charles M. Schiedel, Deputy Defender of the Supreme Court Unit; Michael J. Pelletier, State Appellate Defender; and Cheryl Bormann, Deputy Defender of the Capital Trial Assistance Unit.

The 2010 Richard E. Cunningham Award was presented to Charles (Chick) W. Hoffman, an Assistant Appellate Defender in the Supreme Court Unit, on April 8, 2010, at a reception in his honor. Chick Hoffman was presented the Cunningham Award in recognition of a career marked by extraordinary legal representation, compassionate concern for the welfare of capital clients and zealous advocacy in support of the constitutional precepts of due process and equal protection.

State Appellate Defender Michael J. Pelletier (left) presented the award to Assistant Appellate Defender Chick Hoffman (right).