Last fall, out of public view, the North Carolina Supreme Court squashed disciplinary action against two Republican judges who had admitted that they had violated the state’s judicial code of conduct, according to three sources with direct knowledge of the decisions.
One of the judges had ordered, without legal justification, that a witness be jailed. The other had escalated a courtroom argument with a defendant, which led to a police officer shooting the defendant to death. The Judicial Standards Commission, the arm of the state Supreme Court that investigates judicial misconduct by judges, had recommended that the court publicly reprimand both women. The majority-Republican court gave no public explanation for rejecting the recommendations — indeed, state law mandates that such decisions remain confidential.
The other had escalated a courtroom argument with a defendant, which led to a police officer shooting the defendant to death.
Wait, what happened? That seems like as crazy of a story as this one.
This may be the incident, but it’s low on facts so I can’t be sure.
https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/defendant-dies-after-north-carolina-courtroom-shooting-n1278925
A second source with a bit more info.
And a third that verifies this is the same incident.
Your third source also includes a transcript of the conversation which led to the defendant rushing the judge. Very helpful for understanding the story here.
Seriously. He said his defense attorney was inadequate and asked for a different attorney. The judge said you take this one or you decide to represent yourself. And then the defense attorney asked to withdraw.
He never chose to defend himself. He never got the option to continue with his (to his mind) inadequate attorney. They made him defend himself for even questioning if he could get another attorney.
And then instead of explaining or trying to rectify the situation, she just yelled at him and sicced her goons on him.
Kind of proves his attorney was inadequate though
The article seemed intent on hiding the names of the judges but, thankfully, there aren’t many court shootings per year, per state. Could be this’n
One would think secretly squashing disciplinary action that was based on admitted violation of the judicial code would itself be a violation of the judicial code. WTF?!?
It is, but just like Clarence, Alito, etc on SCOTUS. Who holds them accountable for violating ethics or impartiality?
I read somewhere or other that ‘no one is above the law’, apparently that’s a goal to be attained, rather than the current situation.
“yeah, that’s true, but I’m not no one I’m ALITO! I do what I want!”
Thank you Propublica!
I’m so impressed by their work!
If they had let it happen to those two, it could happen to any of them.
As it should.
Just little artifacts of fascism setteling into the fabric of American society.
And it seems to be always tied to the conservatives / republicans.
Intake bias
Disgusting behavior by GOP is no longer surprising and that, in and of itself, is deeply troubling.
Yay corrupt justice
North Carolina citizens massively fucked up by sitting out the election for the state supreme Court seat and letting the incumbent Democrat get removed
Hope you do better in a few decades (hopefully sooner if one drops dead or has the fate they deserve)
I like the article, but are we giving up on the difference between “quash” and “squash” or has that train sailed?
AI isn’t as smart as we are. ;)
Wonton and brazen corruption and misconduct by GOP agents at all levels, you say? Must be a day of the week.
And Repub like to say they’re not corrupt.
