Longtime Williamson County State's Attorney Charles Garnati has died.
The Williamson County State's Attorney's office says Garnati died early Tuesday morning at St. Louis University Hospital. He was 65.
Garnati served as the county's top prosecutor for 30 years before he resigned in 2014, citing heart problems and the need to reduce stress in his life. At his retirement, Garnati said he was proud of his record.
"I don't care how many murder trials - you might have done a hundred murder trials - but if there's not integrity, and fairness, and good sense, and justice coming out of the State's Attorney, then you don't have a good State's Attorney."
During his retirement announcement, Garnati said he was very proud of his work on behalf of children in the area. Early in his career, the Carterville Democrat converted his annual fundraiser to a benefit. And at the end of his career, he pointed to that event as a highlight.
"I wanted to make the point: we have to help our abused children, and also the second point: money is not everything for politicians."
Garnati's annual golf scramble - which continues - has raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for CASA and the Child Advocacy Center.
