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Judge punished for forcing cheers
THE ASSOCIATED PRESS ^
| Wednesday, August 9, 2006
| no byline
Posted on 08/09/2006 12:27:49 PM PDT by weegee
OLYMPIA -- A state panel has disciplined three judges, including a Tacoma jurist who ordered courtroom cheers for the Super Bowl-bound Seattle Seahawks before issuing a manslaughter sentence.
The state Commission on Judicial Conduct gave each judge an admonishment, the panel's lowest-ranking punishment, in rulings released Friday.
Pierce County Superior Court Judge Beverly Grant's discipline stems from a Feb. 3 hearing in which she sentenced Steve Keo Teang to 13 1/2 years for manslaughter in the 2005 shooting death of Tino Patricelli, 28.
Before the proceedings, Grant asked about 100 people in court to say "Go Seahawks" before taking their seats. Dissatisfied with their low volume, she repeated the request.
The Seahawks played in the Super Bowl that weekend. Patricelli's stepmother said she was offended in part because the game fell on the anniversary of her stepson's death.
Grant, who was appointed to the bench in 2003, apologized the following Monday. She later filed the formal conduct complaint against herself.
Also disciplined Friday was Tacoma Municipal Court Judge David Ladenburg, who kicked a Muslim woman out of court when she declined to remove her head scarf.
The third admonishment involved Spokane County Superior Court Judge Robert D. Austin, who told jurors he was surprised by their guilty verdict in a 2005 drug case.
TOPICS: Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Government; News/Current Events; US: Washington
KEYWORDS: activistcourts; football; iamthelaw; judicialtyranny; judiciary; seahawks; superbowl; wod
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1
posted on
08/09/2006 12:27:50 PM PDT
by
weegee
To: weegee
Ren and Stimpy
'I'll teach them to be happy'
:)
2
posted on
08/09/2006 12:29:58 PM PDT
by
kinoxi
To: weegee
Ringling Brothers, Blue-State Barnum & Bailey courtroom.
3
posted on
08/09/2006 12:32:19 PM PDT
by
AbeKrieger
(Liberals are the Mongol herds destroying America from within.)
To: weegee
In the immortal words of John Riggins (spoken while on the floor at a WH dinner, almost passed out drunk) to Sandra Day O'Connor
"Loosen up Sandy baby, you're too tight"
To: weegee
The Judge filed a complaint against herself? Obviously, she didn't think it was improper at the time she did it. Heaven forbid she actually stick to her guns in the face of public pressure, egadz.
As for the actual act...I see it as tacky and misplaced, but did she do anything worse than other judges that crack jokes during a trial to ease the tension? (Remember Judge Ito?)
5
posted on
08/09/2006 12:35:23 PM PDT
by
dinoparty
To: weegee
She later filed the formal conduct complaint against herself. Fair enough -- gotta give some credit to a person who realized that they made an error in judgement and is willing to own up to it.
6
posted on
08/09/2006 12:35:36 PM PDT
by
kevkrom
(War is not about proportionality. Knitting is about proportionality. War is about winning.)
To: weegee
lot of good it did her. GO STEELERS!!!
7
posted on
08/09/2006 12:36:26 PM PDT
by
warrior9504
(All gave some. Some gave all.)
To: warrior9504
"GO STEELERS!!!"
This time win it without the refs' help.
8
posted on
08/09/2006 12:38:08 PM PDT
by
GunnyHartman
(The DNC, misunderestimating Dubya's strategery since 2000.)
To: weegee
The judge ought to invite the step mother back into court, apologize again, and then re-sentence the perp to probation. I don't see much problem with what the other two judges did, either.
9
posted on
08/09/2006 12:38:27 PM PDT
by
PAR35
To: GunnyHartman
Comment #11 Removed by Moderator
To: weegee
Aww geeeze.
12
posted on
08/09/2006 12:39:33 PM PDT
by
cripplecreek
(If stupidity got us into this mess, then why can't it get us out?)
To: GunnyHartman
This time win it without the refs' help. Oh, stop whining like a Democrat who loses an election. ;)
13
posted on
08/09/2006 12:40:49 PM PDT
by
kevkrom
(War is not about proportionality. Knitting is about proportionality. War is about winning.)
To: weegee
Also disciplined Friday was Tacoma Municipal Court Judge David Ladenburg, who kicked a Muslim woman out of court when she declined to remove her head scarf.Will someone show me where in our Constitution that states people have a "right" to wear a scarf in our courtrooms? I just can't seem to find it.
Thanks.
14
posted on
08/09/2006 12:41:15 PM PDT
by
John123
(Get rich tip: Start hoarding the pennies...)
To: weegee
Is it the 37th ammendment that gives all the right to not be offended? CAn't remember which one it is.
15
posted on
08/09/2006 12:41:34 PM PDT
by
subterfuge
(If Liberals hated terrorists like they hate Bush the war would be over by now)
To: weegee
Also disciplined Friday was Tacoma Municipal Court Judge David Ladenburg, who kicked a Muslim woman out of court when she declined to remove her head scarf. Umm, the judge has every right to remove someone who refuses to comply with a reasonable request... or are we now saying that it is unreasonable to ask someone to remove their headwear if they are Muslim? How PC of us.
The third admonishment involved Spokane County Superior Court Judge Robert D. Austin, who told jurors he was surprised by their guilty verdict in a 2005 drug case.
I'd love to know more about this one. How egregious was it? Were they just looking to punish an unsympathetic character, despite the evidence?
To: SoftballMominVA
In the immortal words of John Riggins (spoken while on the floor at a WH dinner, almost passed out drunk) to Sandra Day O'Connor:
"Loosen up Sandy baby, you're too tight"
And don't forget Riggo's other infamous comment to the wife of the Egyptian Ambassador as he gazed down her dress and made a comment about "always wanted to climb the pyramids".
LOL!
God love him, Riggo (IMHO) was, and always will be one of THE greatest running backs in the history of the Washington Redskins.
And I understand that he got himself straightened out too, and has been doing some off-Broadway theatre work from time to time.
17
posted on
08/09/2006 12:47:40 PM PDT
by
mkjessup
(The Shah doesn't look so bad now, eh? But nooo, Jimmah said the Ayatollah was a 'godly' man.)
To: weegee
Oh, for heaven's sake. If these nuts want to discipline some judges, I can think of lots better reasons than asking the people in the courtroom to say 'Go Seahawks'.
18
posted on
08/09/2006 12:57:49 PM PDT
by
MEGoody
(Ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free.)
To: kevkrom
"Oh, stop whining like a Democrat who loses an election."
I was temporarily posessed by the lost congressional spirit of Cynthia McKinney. Yikes, I never want to go through that again! I'm going to take a shower.
19
posted on
08/09/2006 1:07:59 PM PDT
by
GunnyHartman
(The DNC, misunderestimating Dubya's strategery since 2000.)
To: Teacher317
I too would like to know more about the last one. It is not uncommon for judges to comment on jury verdicts. I have a hunch it may be more the way he said it that the substance of what he said.
20
posted on
08/09/2006 1:22:06 PM PDT
by
blau993
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