Judge of the Day: Mark Badgett
A piece of general advice for judges, lawyers, presidential candidates, and almost everyone else: avoid using the terms “you people” and “that one.” They tend to raise hackles. And get you removed from the bench.
From Courthouse News Service:
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.
Ordering a deputy clerk to rob a defendant isn’t kosher? Another “whoops” moment after the jump.
Badgett made things worse by trying to cover the incident up:
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.
Saying the defendant looked like a gang member probably didn’t help Badgett’s claim that he was not guilty of racial profiling.
Badgett’s website reports that his campaign for re-election is suspended. He writes, “As for the future, my tentative plans are to reopen my law practice or work as a partner in another law firm.” We hope he isn’t planning on going into immigration law.
Judge Removed for Ethnic Comments and Cover-Up [Courthouse News Service]
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Comments
!first!
!first!
"[H]is campaign for re-election is suspended."
Do not count me among those surprise that this douche bag was elected by the peasants, rather than appointed by his betters.
/democracy=TTT
Was the defendant Mexican? i mean really, shouldn't we be more concerned about the domestic violence than a judge's "insensitivity?" Sure, the statements were in bad taste, but what's a little cultural insensitivity compared to beating the crap out of a woman?
BREAKING: OBAMA SAYS TAX INCREASES WILL HIT THOSE MAKING $200K.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vJvkRFKGgGw
BREAKING: BIDEN SAYS TAX INCREASES WILL HIT THOSE MAKING $150K.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zAEE1_IUycs
"We hope he isn't planning on going into immigration law."
Zing! Thanks folks, I'll be here all weekend. Try the fish!
I could see that he would be reprimanded, but I think removal is a bit too harsh a punishment.
Still no coverage of democrats spraying mace on 70-year-old republican staffers:
http://www.galaxgazette.com/cgi-bin/storyviewnew.cgi?055+News.20081027-2025-055-055007.Lead+News
Read it while it's hot.
This seems like pretty mild stuff to serve as the foundation for removal of a judge. I mean, come one, he's no Judge Halverson.
Maybe by "you people" he meant deadbeat parents and shitty fathers and husbands who beat up their wives?
Hot Damn!
Haha I was about to say that this was one of Elie's best posts yet!
Anyways wow...this poor judge should've just taken the day off if he was in such a pissed off mood. I'm sure judges have said worse, but don't forget some judges are people like the rest of us. I think a suspension would have been most appropriate.
Oh noes, judgie hurt wife-beater's feelings! I'm convinced that if the real men in this world took the wife-beaters of this world out and kicked their asses, there might be less wife-beating. Vigilantism? Perhaps, but more effective than a restraining order. Wife-beaters are men that only understand violence - ergo, teach them a lesson with violence. Beat wife = get ass kicked.
If I ever laid a hand on my girlfriend, the courts would be the least of my concerns.
...and some judges aren't people at all!
Glen Auletta is a d'bag
Badgett's the Man!
1) If the defendant was Mexican, there's obviously nothing wrong with calling him Mexican.
2) "[Y]ou people" doesn't necessarily refer to hispanics, in general, or Mexicans, specifically. "[Y]ou people" could've just as easily referred to another group, like spousal abusers.
3) It sounds unlikely that this defendant would've complied with a court order to pay child support, had one been requested. And, it's not "robbery" when the government takes your money; otherwise, income taxation would be tantamount to robbery.
4) Wife beaters = TTT
Men who beat their significant others are the GULC of relationships.
DEAR ELIE AND THE NC SC:
QUESTION: If this defendant was Swedish and the same comments were said, would you still hold that the judge probably hates Swedish people?
ANSWER: NO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Ellie: Fatter. Stinkier. Dumber.
Fatty fat fat!! Fatty fat fat!! Fatty fat fat!! Fatty fat fat!! Fatty fat fat!! Fatty fat fat!! Fatty fat fat!! Fatty fat fat!! Fatty fat fat!! Fatty fat fat!! Fatty fat fat!! Fatty fat fat!!
19 - not true. The Judge made the following remark: "I don't know how you treat women in Mexico, but here you don't treat them that way." The judge clearly shows bias towards Mexicans.
news flash:
Kash wrote this post
I'm sure the McCain-Palin campaign will hire him.
7 - you think the consequence were harsh? Never mind that he probably handles other cases in a similar, but less obvious fashion. Get a clue TTT
7 - you think the consequence were harsh? Never mind that he probably handles other cases in a similar, but less obvious fashion. Get a clue TTT
19- making fun of Swedish people obviously isn't as racially charged as making fun of Mexicans. Same as making fun of women isn't as sexist as making fun of men.
I'm tired of white people trying to equate everything the same. You have to consider cultural norms.
26- Who says that 19 is white? Did you not just make the kind of assumption against which you spoke?
Guys in my high school used to transpose nouns and destroy their own arguments all the time. It was no big deal.
27 is white- 27 is white- 27 is white
27- only white ppl are racist
26 - I see, so you really aren't concerned about equal treatment, you are just concerned about policies which elevate the status of particular groups. Never saw that coming.
Elie, wasn't the judge merely trying to "spread the wealth" from the man to the wife? Or is robbery only acceptable if you take money from a married couple making more than $250,000 a year?
Judge Badgett, you racists always find a way - to shock and offend decent citizens.
Word of advice - don't practice law, you don't have the mind for it.
Back in high school, we used to take people's wallets and call them derogatory terms all the time. It was no big deal.
So if this had happened to a non-minority, there would have been no investigation or repercussions?
Is it not true that Mestizo Hispanic culture tolerates domestic violence? (not to mention animal abuse and alcoholism)
Kirk Lazarus: What do you mean "You People"?
Alpa Chino: What do YOU mean "You People"?
36 - No it's not.
Is it not true the redneck culture encourages dropping out of high school, joining the military, domestic violence, and religious fundamentalism?
26, 30 - You're racist idiots.
26, 30 - You're racist idiots.
39 & 40 - You're a race-neutral idiot.
As a Mexican, I say this with guiltless impunity:
36: Yeah, you're more or less right except "mestizo" implies a Hispanic of mixed origin. So I'm not sure why you're limiting your stereotype to just Mestizo's.
38: I'm not sure what you're point is. Unless it was sarcasm. Last time I checked, redneck culture encourages every single thing you mentioned. But you forgot that redneck culture also encourages pregnant fifteen year olds marry their loser, unemployed redneck boyfriends.
38 says: "Is it not true the redneck culture encourages dropping out of high school, joining the military, domestic violence, and religious fundamentalism?"
42 - In Alaska they wait until they're 17. Well, not "wait" but does force them to marry thei unemployed redneck boyfriends for the sake of their mothers Epic Fail of a political career.
13 - It would be the least of your concerns because your girlfriend can beat the crap out of you? Unlucky, buddy.
fuck you #5. go elsewhere with that shit.
Regardless of anything else, the attempted cover-up is surely a good enough reason to get rid of him.