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: the last refuge of the persecuted crack smoker

can we say judicial misconduct?

By "Nicolle"

a judge in north carolina, for all intents and purposes, commanded his deputy clerk to rob a defendant:

The North Carolina Supreme Court removed Judge Mark H. Badgett from the bench after he ordered a Hispanic man accused of domestic violence to pay child support when none was requested, saying "you people always find a way," and, "I don't know how you treat women in Mexico, but here you don't treat them that way."

After defendant Floyd Mandez Carreon objected, Badgett ordered a deputy clerk to take Carreon's wallet from his pocket, hand over $140 in cash to Kathy Mendez Carreon, and let her take down Floyd's Social Security number.

he proceeded to lie about it:

When Badgett found out that the Judicial Standards Commission had ordered an investigation, he talked to the deputy clerk and plaintiff's counsel, suggesting the defendant had been violent and claiming he didn't recall the wallet incident. He told state investigators the same, adding that the defendant was known to carry a gun, that he suspected him of being a gang member based on his appearance, and that the deputy clerk had stood near him at the hearing to ensure safety.

Badgett initially denied ever ordering the deputy to go after Floyd's wallet, but later said he did so in order to "determine Mr. Carreon's true identity."

the north carolina supreme court has removed him from his judicial post. that's a good step, but i'm hoping that's not all the punishment he gets. really, i'd like to see him disbarred. he is currently looking to either reopen his own law practice or join as a partner in another law firm, but he does not deserve the privilege of legally representing anyone after committing robbery, identity theft, and flat-out racism right there in open court.

Full post as published by the last refuge of the persecuted crack smoker on October 28, 2008 (boomark / email).