Judge pays off $618,000 for cutting park's trees(9th circuit)

NWCN.com ^ | May 26, 2006 | AP

[WASH]

SEATTLE - A federal judge has completely paid the city of Seattle more than $600,000 for the cutting trees of 120 trees in Colman Park.

Judge Farris wanted to have a better view.

City Attorney Tom Carr and Ken Bounds, the head of Seattle Parks and Recreation, told The Seattle Times that Judge J. Farris paid $500,000, plus interest, he owed for the damage done in the park in 2002. Farris is a judge on the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals.

Farris said he had asked his gardener to cut down some trees on his Lake Washington view property along a fence bordering the park, in the Mount Baker neighborhood. But he said the gardener misunderstood his directions. In December, Farris told a jury that his gardener mistakenly clear-cut nearly an acre of the park. But the gardener, Duc Huynh, said Farris ordered him to cut down the trees.

The jury ordered Farris to pay the $500,000 restoration bill, which he finished doing this week. According to the city officials, Farris originally made three payments, totaling $200,000, which were used to plant replacements for the lost trees. On Monday, after the sale of the judge's Mount Baker home closed, the city received a check for the remaining $300,000, plus 12 percent interest. That brought the total payment to more than $618,000.

[corkoman]

The price of arrogance?

[Gay State Conservative]

John Kerry would have lit a match in that situation.After all,a dollar is a dollar.

[Sometimes A River]

It was the Stupid Vietnamese Immigrants fault! Of course!

[Steve Van Doorn]

Sounds to me like hiring illegals that doesn’t speech english can cost you.

[lilylangtree]

"misunderstood his directions"

This is a judge who prsides over his courtroom like a tyrant plus he's from the liberal leftist 9th Circuit. A man from the liberal leftist demoncRAT Seattle who specializes in making his directions clear now uses this excuse. Ah, no, No, NO!

[ncountylee]

Appointed by: President Carter, 1979

[Flyer]

The jury ordered Farris to pay the $500,000 restoration bill

Does he get his money back when the trees are grown?

[radiohead]

It was the Stupid Vietnamese Immigrants fault! Of course!

Of course. Liberals, the most racist people on the planet. I've got about 6 more months in Seattle, and as beautiful as it is, I'm glad to be going.

[tertiary01]

This is a proven tactic and is currently being used here by a politically well connected neighbor who used Mexican Nationals to cut down his neighbor's trees. They feel entitled to the viewscape too.

Meanwhile the trees are down and the illegals are long gone.

[6SJ7]

I cannot tell a lie; the gardener did it!

[Mark was here]

Isn't the claim against billboards is the block the view, so they have to go? These trees were acting like billboards, blocking the view so of course they had to go.

Come the end of the day, people have no right to go clear an acre of parkland with out permission. Seems like a huge fine, did they transplant in big trees?

[pabianice]

Farris said he had asked his gardener to cut down some trees on his Lake Washington view property along a fence bordering the park, in the Mount Baker neighborhood. But he said the gardener misunderstood his directions. In December, Farris told a jury that his gardener mistakenly clear-cut nearly an acre of the park. But the gardener, Duc Huynh, said Farris ordered him to cut down the trees.

Clearly a mistake anyone could make. /s

[Right Wing Assault]

I'm surprised the judge didn't "pass a law" that says he can cut the trees. Isn't that what judges are doing these days?

It's funny he didn't notice the gardener clearing an acre before he realized the guys 'misunderstood' him. I wonder if someone could use that defense in his court? Just have someone do what you want and claim it was that someone else's who misunderstood your instructions.

"No, I didn't want him to kill my wife! I just told him to 'take care of her'! He misunderstood!"

[stumpy]

Yeah, its like the guy who answers his door to find a mexican asking for work. He says ok, I'll give you $50 to paint my porch. The paint is in the garage. An hour later, the mexican says he's done and the guy looks out and there is his silver porche now painted yellow with brush strokes.

[fso301]

bump

[Cruising Speed]

How much did the judge get for selling the park's trees as lumber? Or did he just burn it all as slash?

[Peelod]

http://www.fjc.gov/servlet/tGetInfo?jid=737

Farris, Joseph Jerome
Born 1930 in Birmingham, AL

Federal Judicial Service:
U. S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit
Nominated by Jimmy Carter on July 12, 1979, to a new seat created by 92 Stat. 1629; Confirmed by the Senate on September 26, 1979, and received commission on September 27, 1979. Assumed senior status on March 4, 1995.

Education:
Morehouse College, B.S., 1951

Atlanta University, M.S.W., 1955

University of Washington, J.D., 1958

Professional Career:
U.S. Army Signal Corps, 1952-1953
Private practice, Seattle, Washington, 1958-1969
Judge, Court of Appeals, State of Washington, 1969-1979

Race or Ethnicity: African American

Gender: Male

[Malsua]

By the looks of the house, 600k isn't the end of the world. I believe this is the domicile in question.