Illinois judge removed from bench after freeing convicted rapist

Illinois Judge Robert Adrian has been removed from the bench following an investigation that found he lied under oath, circumvented the law, retaliated against prosecutors, engaged in willful misconduct, and “conduct that was prejudicial to the administration of justice, and conduct that brought the judicial office into disrepute.”

The 33 page finding released by the Illinois Courts Commission on Friday, February 23, 2024 imposed the most severe punishment possible for Adrian, and detailed how the former judge allowed the release of a rapist to circumvent the law based on his own philosophies about how rapists should be sentenced.

Assault and Conviction

Drew Clinton, 20, was charged with rape under threat of violence, rape against a person unable to consent, and criminal sexual assault against a person unable to consent on June 1, 2021. The first two charges were for vaginal penetration with a penis, and the third charge was for vaginal penetration with fingers.

The victim, then-16-year-old Cameron Vaughan, attended a graduation party before going to a friend’s house where she fell asleep. Vaughan woke up to Clinton on top of her, a pillow being pushed against her face while he was raping her. She told him to stop and fought back, pushing him off of her before running to find help. She told her father that morning, who called the police.