McDonough will not be considered for defense attorney

St. Joseph County Commissioner Kathy Pangle said she will not consider former county prosecutor John McDonough when the board next month approves a pool of court-appointed defense attorneys for 2022.

During the “commissioner comments” portion of the county board’s meeting Tuesday, Pangle read what appears to be a letter she has written to McDonough in response to a correspondence she and fellow commissioners received from him, as he is seeking to join the roster.

McDonough is in private practice after losing his bid for re-election last year. The 41-year-old McDonough had served as prosecutor for 12 years.

Pangle said she recalls a few things about McDonough while she previously worked as a security guard at the courts building. Some of those memories, she said, are too unsettling to forget.

Contacted after the meeting, McDonough thanked Pangle for her service to the county. Throughout the ordeal of an alcohol-related arrest and eventual election defeat, McDonough said people have found it necessary to make public comments about him. Some have been true, most are not, McDonough noted.