Oklahoma Judge Faces Removal for Texting During Murder Trial

The chief justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court is recommending the removal of District Judge Traci Soderstrom, who was caught texting and scrolling through social media during a murder trial. An investigation found that Soderstrom exchanged over 500 texts with her courtroom bailiff, mocking prosecutors, praising the defense attorney, and calling a key prosecution witness a liar. Soderstrom has been suspended with pay pending a hearing to determine whether she will be removed from the bench. The chief justice cited gross neglect of duty, gross partiality, and oppression as reasons for her removal.