Thread: Judge who let murderer die finds herself on trial

Judge who let murderer die finds herself on trial
4:00AM Wednesday Aug 19, 2009

By Guy Adams

LOS ANGELES - A Texan judge found herself on trial yesterday after refusing to break off dealing with a repairman at her home and return to her courthouse to hear a stay of execution.

The lawyer of Michael Wayne Richard, a convicted murderer and rapist, had telephoned the courthouse in Austin asking if it could be kept open for a few extra minutes on September 25, 2005, because a computer problem had caused a delay in filing paperwork for a last-ditch appeal.

Judge Sharon Keller of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals - who had popped home to meet a repairman - refused, declaring: "We close at 5pm."
Three and a half hours later, Richard was killed by lethal injection.

The case of Keller, a Republican nicknamed "Sharon Killer" because of the tough-on-crime reputation she has gained over her nine years as presiding judge, has inflamed passions on both sides of the death penalty debate.

On the day of Richard's execution, the US Supreme Court had agreed to review the constitutionality of death by lethal injection. The sudden decision gave his lawyers a small window of opportunity to appeal for a stay.

But a faulty email system made them 20 minutes late delivering appeal papers, and Keller refused to return to work and read them.

The judge went before a misconduct panel yesterday accused of behaving in a manner that was "arbitrary" and "inappropriate". At the end of the five-day hearing, she could be either censured or removed from office.

"It's one thing for a banker to close shop at 5pm sharp. But a public official who stands between a human being and the death chamber must be held to a higher standard," Texas state legislator Lou Burnham, a Democrat, said.

Other critics say Keller's case illustrates systematic flaws in a state where elected judges execute more people than any other in America - especially when they are from an ethnic minority.

Nine of the 16 men put to death this year in Texas, including Richard, have been black. Six were Hispanic; only one was white.

"Sharon Keller is exhibit A on why we need a moratorium on executions in Texas," said Scott Cobb, the president of the Texas Moratorium Network, which campaigns against the death penalty.

The 56-year-old judge is expected to give evidence during the misconduct hearing in San Antonio this week, and claim that the alleged computer glitches were never properly explained to her.

- INDEPENDENT

I hope the silly cow gets struck-off.

Michael Wayne Richard, a convicted murderer and rapist

they want to put her on trial ?? for what ??

they should give her a medal of honour.

Originally Posted by taxexile

Michael Wayne Richard, a convicted murderer and rapist

they want to put her on trial ?? for what ??

they should give her a medal of honour.

Dereliction/neglection of duty I would imagine.

I think you've kind missed the point there, taxexile.

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

Dereliction/neglection of duty I would imagine.

they dont act like that in Boston Legal...

The karmic punishment for this is that she is reincarnated as a fat farang loser who finds love with a 40 year old Pattaya prostitute from Sisaket. They have a romantic courtship followed by a dream marriage that is only disturbed when one of her Thai lovers bludgeons his skull to tiny pieces with a claw hammer because they want his 3 year old Isuzu pickup.

Originally Posted by AntRobertson

Judge Sharon Keller of the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals - who had popped home to meet a repairman

Pity the report does not have more details on that bit.
Sounds like she was at home when she should have been at work, which would be dereliction of duty IMHO

Originally Posted by taxexile

they want to put her on trial ?? for what ?? they should give her a medal of honour.

Because of a bullshit stall tactic, ask the family of the murder and rape victim family what they think.

Other critics say Keller's case illustrates systematic flaws in a state where elected judges execute more people than any other in America - especially when they are from an ethnic minority.

Nine of the 16 men put to death this year in Texas, including Richard, have been black. Six were Hispanic; only one was white.
Other critics say Keller's case illustrates systematic flaws in a state where elected judges execute more people than any other in America - especially when they are from an ethnic minority.

Nine of the 16 men put to death this year in Texas, including Richard, have been black. Six were Hispanic; only one was white.

Well Antsy, just whose fault is it that darkies and spic's kill more folks than whites do, so only seems reasonable that more of them go down for it.
Equal rights do not mean that they have to limit executions to even numbers of whites and minorities.
Or are you trying to tell us that Blacks, Browns and whites each rape and kill an equal number of people?

Originally Posted by blackgang

Other critics say Keller's case illustrates systematic flaws in a state where elected judges execute more people than any other in America - especially when they are from an ethnic minority.

Nine of the 16 men put to death this year in Texas, including Richard, have been black. Six were Hispanic; only one was white.
Other critics say Keller's case illustrates systematic flaws in a state where elected judges execute more people than any other in America - especially when they are from an ethnic minority.

Nine of the 16 men put to death this year in Texas, including Richard, have been black. Six were Hispanic; only one was white.

Well Antsy, just whose fault is it that darkies and spic's kill more folks than whites do, so only seems reasonable that more of them go down for it.
Equal rights do not mean that they have to limit executions to even numbers of whites and minorities.
Or are you trying to tell us that Blacks, Browns and whites each rape and kill an equal number of people?

I think you'll find that the statistics don't support what you're saying, BG.

I think you'll also find that sentencing statistics show that you've a much greater chance of having the death penality imposed on you if you are black (o other minority) than if you are white; even if it's for the same crime.

Texas has the third highest execution rate in the world, only beaten by those luminaries of freedom, democracy, and liberal values, Saudi Arabia and Iran. I think they could get to second place by 2012.

Originally Posted by Dan

Texas has the third highest execution rate in the world, only beaten by those luminaries of freedom, democracy, and liberal values, Saudi Arabia and Iran. I think they could get to second place by 2012.

You're damn right... You fuck with the bull in Texas, you're going to get the horns...

Originally Posted by MTD

I thought it was our burden to civilise backward peoples such as these?

Last time I checked, you weren't American, so piss off...

Absolutely typical of the selfrighteous appointees who have lost the plot!.

She should be sacked and made to sweep the courtroom floor every day after 5.00 p.m. for 12 months and maybe that will bring her down to earth again.

Hopefully third world countries like this will gradually develop to the point where they realise that capital punishment is neither a deterrent nor a cure for crime.

Originally Posted by Marmite the Dog

Hopefully third world countries like this will gradually develop to the point where they realise that capital punishment is neither a deterrent nor a cure for crime.

judging by the number of pin a medal to her chest bridgade, it will never happen

Originally Posted by blackgang

darkies and spic's kill more folks than whites do

All in all pretty much the same. Them "Others" are not pulling their load.

Death row inmates.

White - 31%
Black - 38%
Hispanic - 29%
Other - 2%