If he is "disbarred and banned from practicing law" he obviously cannot "[discuss] it in a professional capacity". There is no need to censor his speech at all.
It's cute that you think this is the first time this thug in a robe ever did this. And that you think he should get off with a "naughty-naughty, now go retire…"
My question is how did this guy get to become a judge to begin with? I saw part of the argument between the judge and the defense lawyer, and the lawyer brought up 10's of times the code this violated and the judge's only concern was how the lawyer found out! How does someone with this type of demeanor get to be a judge?
The judge generally can't be prosecuted. He enjoys judicial absolute immunity. Judicial immunity precludes prosecuting judges for their actions in court even if they are maliciously criminal. This isn't to protect corrupt judges; it is to protect the public. The public has a right to go into court knowing that the judges cannot be intimidated with threats of prosecution unless they make "the right" decisions, i.e. judges are made offers they can't refuse. We have other ways of dealing with bad judges which include removal from the bench, motions to disqualify and disbarment. The issue with these solutions is that they are rarely enforced. Right now that is a significant problem that is eroding public confidence in the judiciary (as evidenced by your honest response here). Unless checked it could lead to a loss in part or whole of judicial absolute immunity. That would not be a good outcome but it is a predictable outcome nonetheless. There are circumstances where judicial immunity does not apply. It does not apply, for example, to federal cases of violation of civil rights under color of law (18 USC 242, 42 USC 1983). The laws were enacted to include all government officials from all three branches and hold them criminally and civilly liable for deprivation of civil rights. The laws were originally enacted during Reconstruction to combat the KKK shortly after the Civil War. This case doesn't involve deprivation of civil rights. That being said, the entire Georgia court system is now under close scrutiny. Are recent events in Georgia courts, including this case, all too frequent or has the notoriety of Georgia v. Trump caused people to seek out and find the rare...hmmm..."glitches" in the system that are the exception and not the rule? Time will tell. But it is not a good look for Georgia.
You can see in their original video that even the Courtroom Stenographer (that records proceedings in the courtroom) didn't record what the judge was doing. So there needs to be investigation if the court recorder was protecting the judge by not recording evidence from other past cases.
This is modern justice system, I guess. Whatever a cop says to you, expect the exact opposite. “Im like super cool cop” means he is anything but, look him the wrong way and get a ticket, “Im all about the constitution/civil rights”, he despises them and is about break as many as possible, “Im here to help you”, he is looking to mess you up, get handsy if opportunity strikes or “Im pretty thick-skinned” means his ego is extra frail and you’re about to get it. We are playing opposite day now. I just wasn’t aware it has seeped into courtroom also.
This is a reflection of the current trend of judges seeing themselves as petty dictators. It also reflects the alarming trend of attacking whistleblowers. It's pervasive not only in government, but corporations... like Boeing. How many times in the past 8 years have we seen a crime exposed and the reaction is the criminal launching a personal attack on the accuser or a massive hunt to reveal sources? It really speaks to the general loss of conscience and ethics in this country.
You only have to look at Julian Lasange who was just a whistlblower telling the truth but he spent all them years and had to plead guilty to some bs spying type charge.....
I don’t find the judges to be dictators or whatever. As a result of unbridled vicious lawfare. Their ruling was sensible and puts an end to that. I find the vitriol and calls for harm to them - those ppl are unhappy they didn’t get their crooked way. And it’s dangerous and sick. BTW, I was a Democrat till now
I’m sure this raises reasonable doubt that both the judge and prosecutors. What the real relationship between the judge and prosecutor? Maybe a case sexual in nature, friendship, or partial family connection.
In case anyone is wondering, this is how judges and prosecutors work together in order wrongly convict people. I assure you, this is not the first time this judge was caught doing ex parte. And another example of why a private attorney is much better than a public defender. A PD would never have hired private investigators and even be put in a position to be jailed by the court.
At the height of a trial, the prosecuting attorney attacked a witness. “Isn't it true that you accepted $5000 to compromise this case?” The witness stared out the window, as though he hadn't hear the question. The prosecutor repeated the question. The witness still did not respond. Finally, the judge leaned over and said, “Sir, please answer the question.” “Oh,” the startled witness said, “I thought he was talking to you.”
With immunized testimony, recusal and continuing is best. Or drop the case. RICO in situations like this is almost always a hissy fit by the prosecution because the defendants would not roll on other charges. And is crap.
The real question is as follows: How many other times has this judge had ex-parte meetings like this. He has zero integrity now and really should be removed from practicing law. In addition, the state prosecutor should be brought up on ethics and sent to the review board as well. How many times has the Fulton County DA and Chief Judge done this? Not good at all.
This is the same judge who throughout this case has continually delayed proceedings for extremely abnormal length of time. The defendant on trial is actually currently in his second year in jail having not been tried for a crime yet this judge went jury interviews go on for nine months, it’s completely absurd. He’s stormed out of the courtroom several times during this case for being pissed off. Well, this judge will probably not receive any official sanction because of his actions. I suspect he will be censured and most likely his career path is completely over.
Tactics to delay a case financially PUNISH the defendant who has to keep paying the per diem costs of expensive lawyers. If the lawyer isn't based in that city, they may charge per diem travel fees, hotel costs, transportation, and meals for themselves and their staff and dependants. If the defendant RUNS OUT OF MONEY, he may lose the lawyer and be forced to switch to a public defender. Many public defenders will research and strongly defend their defendant, but some defenders have a lukewarm defense since they do little more than advise the defendant on what is needed to appear in court and to fill out the paperwork correctly. In this way, a judge can ALSO allow a prosecutor to use delaying tactics in hopes of exhausting the defendant's resources or even make subpoenaed witnesses "give up" as they come, wait around, and then get told there is a delay to a new date.
@@billyyank5807 well, prison time is for someone that was convicted of an imprisonable offense, after being indicted by a grand jury. The OP seems to want to just toss all of that out and go for summary execution.
The bigger deal are the Judge's actions after exposure. Getting caught, admitting to it, and fessing up is one thing, but what this Judge did is completely unacceptable and deserves harsh punishment.
@jeraldbottcher1588 - Absolute immunity can be removed when the judge acts in a capacity other than a judicial role. This judge made himself a witness to the trial by having the ex parte communication, and at that point he lost absolute immunity.
This judge should be removed from his profession and never be allowed to work for the people again in any capacity. Any person who is supposed to uphold the law but breaks the law instead is disgusting and should not be allowed.
@@Oldspartan65 people like to say things to that effect but its actually not true. They have rules they have to follow too. Maybe if you watched the video you would know that. Steve said that in plain English right at the start. Judges aren't all powerful. And they need to be held to a higher standard to hold an important job like that. The term "your honor" should mean something after all.
It starts at the top. Six members of the SCOTUS care zip spit for the law and continually prove it with idiotic unconstitutional rulings. Just because they can.
I would like to offer up the fact that not only would NOT give up his source, but he offered to go to the same jail as his client so he could continue to work on the case! I don't care who the defendant was or what the charges were...that lawyer is a hero😊
I was involved in a case, in Ohio, where the judge had to phone my attorney from the bench due to a miscommunication by the clerk, but prior to phoning the judge DID have substantive discussions about the case with opposing counsel. The judge knew my attorney wasn't there, but he didn't know I was there, because I was mistakenly seated in the gallery by the bailiff. I heard them discussing the case without me and had to interject when I heard the opposing attorney telling lies about me and my situation to the judge. I haven't looked at the local rules here, but that kind of shit happens all the time in family court in my area.
First, it's one judge, not multiple judges. Second, it's a state court matter and hence, "citizens of the USA" is irrelevant, it's "citizens of Georgia". So, we'll let things play out, as the state supreme court has been informed and found sufficiently for the defense counsel to release him pending trial and that will quite annoy those jurists, as appearances of impropriety smears their bench as much as the offending jurist's bench is smeared. I wise old police sergeant was issuing police badges and credentials at the police academy graduation. Before he did, he advised all of the rookies, "Whenever you do something wrong, you not only smear your own badge with shit, you dip mine into shit as well. Please don't dip my badge in shit".
Needs to be removed from the bench completely. They've shown they believe the rules and laws don't apply to them. How many other cases have they done this or similar items on? Nah they've shown they are corrupt and don't believe they are subject to punishment. A little dictator in their own corrupt fiefdom.
The court needs to be sued for violating the defense as attorneys Constitutional Rights, false arrest and unlawful detainment. The judge did it to retaliate . The judge needs to be gone. How many other cases has he done this and gotten away with it. He has lost all credability
What gets me is the lawyer's partner for the case literally said you charging him with contempt send me to jail too since I had this information as well and judge blew it off I'm assuming because the other lawyer was black and the one in contempt was white(judge is black). Nate the lawyer has actual video clips from that on his channel
@@pucmahone3893 considering BEFORE this contempt he was pulling witness intimidation in the middle of the court room of witness will testify or you're going to jail since you broke your plea deal THEN during recess took said witness behind closed doors without the defense?
For every time you catch a Judge doing something wrong, how many times did they get away with other things? Judges have too much power to ignore corrupt behavior.
@@guyray1504 If that's true, why did the defense not know about the meeting and have to find out through an undisclosed third party? Why did the defense have to bring it up DURING a hearing, and why was the judge concerned about how he knew? Why would the judge attempt to hold him in contempt for not disclosing who told him about the meeting? IF the court reporter was present but the information about the meeting was not given to the defense, then all of the same issues exist regardless. The judge wouldn't be worried at all about how he knew because he was supposed to know and was entitled to know.
Jusge should be disbarred.l! This will not only go to appeal if they lose, but it will be thrown out and declared a mistrial costing the taxpayers millions!
I wonder HOW MANY judges do this and don't get exposed, A lot of judges are Confused and think they are the prosecutor or police. Ruling should go as MISTRIAL...
This judge keeps digging himself into a deeper hole, and he doesn't understand that certain civil and criminal laws are different. He's tripling down on a war he's going to lose in a bad way.
His ignorance on contempt was pathetic. But thinking he would get away with that - it didn't come out of nowhere. Streaming trials is very, very new. Through 2019, the only cameras were for security, and their content was ignored.
Yup. He was basically contempt is contempt, and had to be badgered into deciding which contempt, and then had to be informed that the contempt he was gonna charge doesn't allow him to do what he wants.
@@drewschumann1 - This judge made himself a witness through holding ex parte communication, and that is why he will likely face consequences - including a civil suit from Steele. Immunity is taken away sometimes: Appeals Court Unanimously Denied Judicial Immunity to West Virginia Judge Who Personally Searched Home, Ordered Items Removed.
Yep. We have both judicial misconduct and prosecutorial misconduct both. I have a suspicion this case isn't going to survive appeal, the only question is if it is dismissed or not.
Whoever reported the judge deserves the seat on the bench more than this egotistical tyrant who should be no more near judiciary power than criminals. Corruption must be removed from the judiciary.
the witness was already sworn in and was pleading the fifth and thrown in a holding cell for not testifying with immunity granted. in that meeting the judge and prosecutors told him that they'd keep him locked up until everyone involved in this rico case were tried. there are still 12 others in this case that are waiting for trial and this trial has already taken a year (or more), so that means he'd be in jail for probably 3-4 years. the witness said that he was going to lie on the stand and the prosecutor said she wouldn't charge him with perjury for it. when he told them that he was going to take the fall for the murder she said that she'd prosecute him for perjury for that one.
Live streaming trials seems to be bringing to light a whole lot of inappropriate nonsense by people in positions of power. My thoughts on our judicial system have changed dramatically.
@@HighHolyOne I was unaware of the fact that Georgia counties swear an oath of poverty. Guess they don't collect taxes either, right? Nobody with influence can ever get to anyone there, as they're all hermits that live inside of a minefield, right?
This is outrageous. Not only because the judge appears to be committing a criminal offence, but also because it means that a possible criminal is going to get a mistrial. The judge should face a review with the possibility of removal and criminal charges.
Might not need impeachment, impeachment is for those appointed with consent and advice of the legislature. Those elected to the bench or via simple appointment both have no lifetime appointment and can be removed by the courts directly.
My GF is an Attorney and because I went to School and worked in Atlanta for almost 15 years I am still observing news from my home state. I was with some fellow Attorneys recently and we discussed this. To be clear ALL Judges in all the States and the Federal bench are on their honor when it comes to ex parte communications. In fact, several chuckled and said sometimes a Judge gets ambushed and they recuse themselves. There will in fact be a mistrial, it may be a higher court that orders it. This Judge is hopelessly tainted and most likely won't be a Judge much longer! Edited to add another point. If I were a betting man based on several conversations I have had with Attorneys this Defense Attorney already knew the DA was crooked and had an observer watching the door to the Judges Chambers. Before Covid pushed so much onto Zoom my GF's Law Firm used to have paralegals watching Judges and the Commonwealth's Attorneys during high-profile cases. Most likely this Attorney knew about the ex parte communications simply because he was DOING HIS JOB and doing his due diligence!
Have you seen the videos of this judge and prosecutor exchanging hand signals, similar to a team manager and 3rd base coach? I took it to look a bit fishy and suspicious myself.
I have seen cases where a judge refuses to enter an elevator because a lawyer in it has a case before them, just to ensure that there is not even the Appearance that they had a conversation in private, which is the Right move to make because even 30 seconds alone in an elevator Could be enough to discuss something relevant to the case.
Either that or the witness that spoke before the judge and prosecutor made sure that the defense attorney found out about it to get his thug buddy a mistrial. Just speculation. But I am also picturing the defense attorney as the southern chicken lawyer from Futurama. Or maybe its Family Guy. I watch too many cartoons. Or not enough cartoons.
thats what happens when judges face zero consequences. At worst they get removed. But its incredibly rare and difficult. it should be the exact opposite. Public servants should be held to higher standards, not lower
I went through this same issue with Military officers who thought Army Regulations were "guidelines" and not law. After 26 years of explaining to my officers that they are laws and showing them the front page of every Army Regulation that defines the terms of "should, shall, may and will" it really made them rethink how the interpreted regulations. That is why we have NCO's to guide our officers to the right thing and check their ego and question their assumed authority.
@@hawkuser604 the problem is that should and may make things appear to be subjective to the officer in charge and that dilutes the authority of shall and will and basically, turns things into a legal clusterfuck from hell. Enough times, similar conversations ended with, "But, you do as you please, Sir, it ain't my OER that'll be getting fucked up". That put the officer's speed brakes on.
@@goodfeather16it has to function differently just to make it function. It’s the same style rules/decorum for lawmakers/politicians so it can function as well. When you have many people arguing, or just two it will devolve into the worst parts of humanity in no time. The ability to issue contempt is necessary to prevent that. That said THERE IS ABSOLUTELY NO REASON FOR THE JUDGE TO ISSUE IT IN THIS CIRCUMSTANCE.
What surprises me the most is that "Who told You?" is the classic way to admit guilt. The judge should have heard that a million times already. If stupidity would ring bells nobody in the court would have been able to hear themselves speaking after that question.
This judge won’t get removed. Circuit court judges need to be impeached by the state congressional 2/3rd vote. They are mainly immune from being officially punished. The other judges do essentially have one form of “punishment” which is to place the judge in senior status. Which is the “go sit in the corner for the rest of your career, and think about what you’ve done” punishment. The same thing happens with article 3 federal judges.
@@RabbiJesus At no time did he deny the meeting actually happened. In fact his language clearly exposed that it had. He needs to be immediately removed from the bench, brought up in front of the BAR, and if found guilty of having this meeting, disbarred and brought up on criminal charges.
@@barryc9115 did you read the transcripts yourself? If not, you don’t know and you’re just inferring second hand information. I kind of expect better from the Lehto crowd.
@@RabbiJesusI forget the judge's exact words, but he has said things to the effect of "I am concerned that you found out about the meeting," "you should have never known about the meeting," and he put _into writing_ in a court document that the meeting happened. As others have said, you are presuming that the OP made their comment purely on the basis of the contents of this video, which I strongly doubt.
Sometimes contempt of court is a justified feeling and/or action. This judge CLEARLY committed misconduct. I have contempt for “snitches get stitches” sorts, and this judge should be removed if that’s the sort he is.
Ashley Merchant (attorney asking to remove Fani Willis from the Trump election case) is heling the defense attorney and she told the very judge exactly this in a hearing about the contempt charge.
Well, it’s to be expected when they are swearing the oath with their hand placed on a folded pride flag or stack of local menus instead of a bible. They are not serious people serving their community.
It was really fun seeing the Georgia defense attorney strike force showing up within an hour or so to provide representation and support for the defense attorneys. Young Thugs defense team and the team of 25 lawyers headed up by Ashleigh Merchant have been a bright spot in this mess.
Some context that may help: Judge was a one star general, from Army JAG, and was the head of the Army Court of Appeals. Suddenly his “holier than thou, my word is the word of god, I make the rules and law as I go” approach makes a lot more sense lol. RIP any soldier that got their lives or careers ruined by this man
I watched the whole exchange between the judge and lawyer. Stunning. Some judges start dipping into their own supply. The man had a business as usual demeanor that made me think of how many other people have been subject to serious corruption.
That judge needs to be removed from the bench immediately. This smacks of judicial bias, and if there's one thing a judge MUST be is impartial (it's why they aren't typically allowed to vote). It doesn't matter what reason the judge has - he/she must follow the rules.
I took plea deal and my judge lied about not being able to ever take it back. The judge beat his wife after he sentenced me. He did 8 months prision time. A year before i got out he killed his x-wife in front of their kids. Hes doing 30 years to life in prision. The judges name name is Lance T Mason. He worked in cuyahoga county. They only went checked over jury trails if he did illeagal stuff. They didn't check all his cases.
So, the defense attorney is still in prison? Nobody did anything about it, so there won't be a trial that Steve talked about, right? Or do you mean that nobody showed up with a militia and machine gunned everyone concerned down? Here's a life lesson for you. You can do things a fast and easy way and they'll fall apart every time or one can do things the right way, which takes time and effort and those things will be lasting. And things with courts take time. First, the trial of the accused has to be completed, then the defense attorney has to have his trial, then if acquitted in the latter, the misbehavior of the jurist then is reported up to the superior courts as appropriate for disciplinary action. No magical thunder from above, no Harry Potter waving his fuck stick, but a step by step legal process that is properly followed at every step, in deliberate and sober actions. Otherwise, we don't have the rule of law, we have the lawlessness of the mob.
Actually, the attorney immediately filed a motion for the judge to be recused from the trial. The judge assigned the motion to himself (which isn't actually allowed) and denied it. Then the attorney filed a motion to the GA Supreme Court for the judge to be removed, citing that he didn't feel it would get a fair hearing from a lower court given what happened with the motion to recuse. The GA Supreme Court responded denying the motion, stating that the attorney had to file the motion with the Superior Court first, *and that if filed with the Superior Court, the trial judge would be disqualified from acting on it,* citing the rules of court procedure that would so disqualify the judge. The attorney has since filed the motion with the Superior Court, citing the parts of the GA Supreme Court's response saying that the trial judge must be disqualified from acting in any way on the motion.
One time I went to traffic court to fight a ticket. The judge gave me a favorable ruling. No points and $15 to the charity of the cops choice. Of course I was speeding. There's a steep hill on a highway in Colorado where the cops sit around the bend at the bottom and nail speeders. The judge new it because he sees speeding tickets from that stretch of road every day. I remember the cop mumbling something about how it was a waste of his time to come in to court. After court I stopped at a gas station to get gas and who should pull up to the other side of the pump, the judge. I just smiled at him and he smiled back.
That Georgia County is so corrupt. Threatening the witness (by the judge in an ex-parte meeting) with jail time if he doesn't give statements that are lies in favor of the prosecutor.
