"Oklahoma Judge Resigns Amid Texting Scandal During Murder Trial"

Oklahoma judge Traci Soderstrom resigned after being caught sending hundreds of texts from the bench during a murder trial, including messages that mocked prosecutors and were sprinkled with emojis. She agreed not to seek judicial office again in Oklahoma under a proposed settlement agreement. Soderstrom had faced removal from the bench over accusations of gross neglect of duty, oppression in office, lack of proper temperament, and failure to supervise her office. The judge's texts during the trial included inappropriate comments about the prosecutor and praise for the defense attorney, and she was eventually convicted of second-degree manslaughter and sentenced to time served.