Judge Censured for Mocking Victim

AP ^ | 4/3/6 | MARK JOHNSON

[SmithL]

Albany, N.Y. -- A municipal judge has accepted censure as punishment for mocking an assault victim by comparing him to a lying character on "Saturday Night Live."

The state Commission on Judicial Conduct said Monday that Syracuse City Court Judge Karen Uplinger "demeaned and mocked" assault victim Anthony Nushwat in October 2004.

"Humor has its place, sometimes even in court. But it isn't funny for a judge to mock or belittle an assault victim who is making a statement to the court," said commission administrator Robert Tembeckjian. "A judge is obliged to be patient, dignified and courteous at all times while acting in an official capacity."

The commission said the judge compared Nushwat to Pathological Liars Anonymous member Tommy Flanagan, an SNL character created by Jon Lovitz whose tag line after telling obvious lies was:

[SmithL]

. . . "Yeah, that's the ticket!"

[ncountylee]

The judge should have been removed from the bench.

[Disturbin]

I wonder if she's related to Maria Lopez?

[Responsibility2nd]

Wouldn't be surprised if Judge Karen is yet another liberal "slap on the wrist" judge intent on feeling sorry for the bad guys.

[flixxx]

I honestly do not know how police officers and judges tolerate being lied to so much...I love watching 'Cops' just to see the dirt bags lie and lie and lie again to the cops.

[Dog Gone]

If the judge thought the guy was lying, which she obviously did, I think she can say anything she wants.

This doesn't appear to have been a jury proceeding.

[JennysCool]

"I think if you listen to Jon Lovitz, you might get an impression of how I felt when I was listening to this testimony," Uplinger said in court, according to the commission.

Sheesh. Big deal.

[onja]

"As Nushwat was reading a statement during a sentencing hearing, Uplinger told defendant Artis Bey: "You don't have to listen to this if you don't want to."

Doesn't sound too bad. I assume this is the offending remark.

[IllumiNaughtyByNature]

Nushwat

Does anyone want to rearrange the letters of that?

[fish hawk]

I once heard Judge Judy tell a guy, "don't piss on my leg and tell me its raining". LOL

[BenLurkin]

LEOs are occasionally truth challenged.

[Dallas59]

I wonder what most people would do if you brought your new car into the dealer for a "clanking" noise and the manager called you a "liar"?

[starbase]

"As Nushwat was reading a statement during a sentencing hearing, Uplinger told defendant Artis Bey: "You don't have to listen to this if you don't want to."

Doesn't sound too bad. I assume this is the offending remark.

I believe this was written precisely to NOT sound too bad. Notice the whole article is about her mockery using the SNL character, but we are never told the insulting line?

I saw AP at the top of the story and thought "watch how they protect this judge", sure enough they lead us around and give us a watered down and vague "offense".

The judiciary is the Left's main source of power, I'm not surprised that they will be at pains to make good judges appear bad and bad judges appear good, or at least tolerable.

Technique #22 on my homepage talks about confusing readers with bogus goose chases, in this case we're left debating what exactly we think she said, not what she did say. We're prevented from discussing what really occurred because we were never told that. I think that was by design.

[Awestruck]

if you worked in a courtroom, you'd see that the cops lie as much as the badguys... sorry to step on toes.. but it's the truth..

[TheErnFormerlyKnownAsBig]

I honestly do not know how police officers and judges tolerate being lied to so much...I love watching 'Cops' just to see the dirt bags lie and lie and lie again to the cops.

After a while it's just "blah blah blah blah" Oooh there it was, your story just changed a little. I knew I kept you talkin long enough you would let the lie out." haha

[kenavi]

I once heard Judge Judy tell a guy, "don't piss on my leg and tell me its raining". LOL

This Judge made her statement during the sentencing stage, so we know 2 things for certain: she mocked the victim and joked with the felon. We also know that she was censured.

Still LOL?

[Ruth A.]

The commission said the judge compared Nushwat to Pathological Liars Anonymous member Tommy Flanagan, an SNL character created by Jon Lovitz...

Specifically, "I think if you listen to Jon Lovitz, you might get an impression of how I felt when I was listening to this testimony," Uplinger said in court, according to the commission.

I would have liked some more facts from the case. Can't tell if the judge had cause to make the comment she did. Mocking and demeaning, that seems a bit of a stretch. Now Jon Lovitz, on the other hand, may have some valid complaint here.

[WV Mountain Mama]

I thought that was SOP, especially if the vehicle is brought in by a woman...

[Dallas59]

Along with a charge for changing the blinker fluid.

[WV Mountain Mama]

:) LOL!