All articles tagged with #judicial misconduct
The Missouri Supreme Court unanimously removed Judge Michael Thornhill from the bench for making political statements in court, failing to maintain decorum, and dressing as Elvis Presley, which compromised the dignity of his judicial office.
Defense lawyers in the Young Thug RICO trial have filed an emergency petition asking the Georgia Supreme Court to force Judge Ural Glanville to recuse himself, alleging judicial misconduct and coercion of a key witness during a secret meeting with prosecutors. The defense claims the judge's actions violated their client's right to a fair trial and are seeking an unbiased judge to decide on the recusal.
A key ally of Donald Trump, Mike Davis, filed a complaint against US District Judge Reggie Walton for appearing on CNN and openly criticizing the former president, calling it "judicial misconduct." Davis aims to send a message to judges that they cannot engage in political commentary. Walton's comments on Trump's attacks on a Manhattan judge and the "hush money" case were highlighted in the complaint, with Davis arguing that Walton's actions could prejudice potential jury pools. The complaint was addressed to Chief Judge Sri Srinivasan of the DC Circuit Court of Appeals.
Illinois judge Robert Adrian, who reversed a man's rape conviction involving a 16-year-old girl, has been removed from the bench after a judicial oversight body found that he circumvented the law and engaged in misconduct. The decision to remove Adrian came after a three-day hearing in November, with the commission stating that he "abused his position of power to indulge his own sense of justice while circumventing the law." Adrian's reversal of the conviction sparked outrage, and the victim expressed relief at the commission's decision, while Adrian maintains that he did what was right.
Illinois judge Robert Adrian, who reversed a man's rape conviction, has been removed from the bench after a judicial oversight body found that he circumvented the law and engaged in misconduct. The decision to remove Adrian came after a three-day hearing in November, during which it was found that he "abused his position of power to indulge his own sense of justice while circumventing the law." Adrian's reversal of the conviction sparked outrage, and the victim expressed relief at the commission's decision, while Adrian maintains that he did what was right.
Republican Representative Elise Stefanik has filed a complaint alleging judicial misconduct against U.S. District Court Judge Beryl Howell, who has overseen various Jan. 6-related cases. Stefanik claims that Howell's acceptance speech at a gala in November was "highly inappropriate" and consisted of partisan statements and election interference. Howell's speech focused on the importance of facts and referenced the Jan. 6 attack on the Capitol. Stefanik argues that Howell's remarks veered into politicization and promoted the idea that the re-election of Donald Trump equates to choosing authoritarianism. This is not the first time Stefanik has filed an ethics complaint against a judge involved in cases related to Trump.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned the drug conviction of a Black man, Leron Liggins, after a Detroit federal judge, Stephen Murphy III, made racially biased remarks, stating that Liggins "looks like a criminal." The appeals court deemed the judge's comments incompatible with the fair administration of justice and ordered a new trial with a different judge, stating that allowing the conviction to stand would undermine public confidence in the judicial process. The judge apologized for his remarks, citing frustration with delays in the case, but the appeals court ruled that he should have recused himself as requested by Liggins' attorney.
The 6th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has overturned the drug conviction of a Black man, Leron Liggins, after a Detroit federal judge, Stephen Murphy III, made racially biased remarks, stating that Liggins "looks like a criminal." The appeals court deemed the judge's comments incompatible with the fair administration of justice and ordered a new trial with a different judge. The court stated that allowing the conviction to stand would undermine public confidence in the judicial process. The judge apologized for his remarks nearly two years later, attributing his outburst to frustration. Prosecutors argued that the remark referred to Liggins' alleged conduct, but the appeals court disagreed, stating that a reasonable observer could interpret it differently.
The Florida Supreme Court has publicly reprimanded Judge Elizabeth Scherer for showing bias toward the prosecution during the penalty trial of Parkland school shooter Nikolas Cruz. The Judicial Qualifications Commission found that Scherer violated several rules of judicial conduct, including unduly chastising the defense team, wrongly accusing one attorney of threatening her child, and embracing members of the prosecution after the trial. Scherer retired from the bench last month, and the court acknowledged the stress and tension surrounding the high-profile case but emphasized the importance of maintaining due process, order, and decorum in the courtroom.
A state panel investigating allegations of judicial misconduct has recommended that Judge Elizabeth Scherer, who presided over the sentencing of the Parkland school shooter, should be publicly reprimanded for acting inappropriately and showing bias during those proceedings.