Litigation

Reprimand for TX Judge Stands

By Peter Hardin

The Texas Supreme Court has declined to throw out a reprimand of Judge Sharon Keller over her handling of a last-minute death row appeal.

In July, the State Commission on Judicial Conduct gave Judge Sharon Keller a ?public warning,? one of its less severe sanctions, and said she engaged in ?willful or persistent conduct that casts public discredit on the judiciary? (see Gavel Grab). She is Texas’ top criminal court judge. She sought an appeal of the reprimand.

An order from the high court said only that it was denying her petitions, according to an Associated Press article.

Judge Keller was allowed to keep her job after the commission rebuked her over her “We close at 5″ response when lawyers for an inmate wanted to submit a last-minute appeal. The inmate was executed a short time later.

Full post as published by The Gavel on August 16, 2010 (boomark / email).