Justice: Texas Style

[Nbadan]

I wonder if this qualifies as violating the "rules of professional conduct" for a Judge in Texas?


DALLAS (AP) -- A judge threw a party complete with balloons, streamers and a cake to welcome a former fugitive back to her court - and sentence him to life in prison.

"You just made my day when I heard you had finally come home," Criminal Courts Judge Faith Johnson told Billy Wayne Williams, who had been convicted in absentia of aggravated assault after he disappeared a year ago. "We're so excited to see you, we're throwing a party for you."

Williams, 53, was accused of choking his girlfriend until she was unconscious. He failed to appear for his trial last November and was not captured until Thursday.

Before he was brought into the courtroom Monday, Johnson directed staff members as they placed balloons and streamers around the courtroom. A colorful cake was decorated with his name.

"It seems like everyone wants to have a party, and it's fun for you people, but not for me," Williams told reporters as he was led away in handcuffs.

Calls to the judge's office and the State Bar Association were not immediately returned Tuesday

Link (http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/P/PRISON_SENDOFF?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT)

:lol Here is hoping the victim got a piece of the cake.

[Hook Dem]

I feel almost certain that you have researched this and found that she is a Republican judge or you wouldn't have posted it. WTF cares anyway! :lol First phase of punishment........NO CAKE!!!!

[Yonivore]

I feel almost certain that you have researched this and found that she is a Republican judge or you wouldn't have posted it. WTF cares anyway! :lol First phase of punishment........NO CAKE!!!!
I know of no rule or law that precludes the presence of balloons, cake, and fun at a sentencing hearing.

[SpursWoman]

That's pretty damn funny. :lol

[CosmicCowboy]

I saw video of this last night...it was funny as hell...

[Useruser666]

I wonder if this qualifies as violating the "rules of professional conduct" for a Judge in Texas?



Link (http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/P/PRISON_SENDOFF?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT)

:lol Here is hoping the victim got a piece of the cake.

More judges should be like this. You have to have a sense of humor and understanding for the human element.

[Taco]

:lmao

[xrayzebra]

I wonder if this qualifies as violating the "rules of professional conduct" for a Judge in Texas?



Link (http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/P/PRISON_SENDOFF?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT)

:lol Here is hoping the victim got a piece of the cake.

Does that go along with the baby that got his brains sucked out? Just wondering? Seems you folks worry about the criminals but never the innocent.
:depressed

[Nbadan]

Hey why have a trial in the first place, right?

http://digitaljournalist.org/issue0309/images/life/lynching.jpg

[Nbadan]

The judge engaged in highly prejudicial and biased behavior and behaved entirely inappropriately for a court of law. If he has a lawyer with the brains of a four year old he'll be out on mistrial.

If you have ever sat in a Dallas courtroom, there are little notices everywhere telling you about the "gravity" of court, respect for the judge, including giving your undivided attention (i.e., you may not read a magazine or book while waiting on a hearing in traffic court).

I am sure the guy deserved to be put away, but imagine if he really didn't deserve to be put away. Let's just say the judge didn't like him because he was black, or queer, and then behaved like that. It really is inexcusable

[Hook Dem]

The judge engaged in highly prejudicial and biased behavior and behaved entirely inappropriately for a court of law. If he has a lawyer with the brains of a four year old he'll be out on mistrial.

If you have ever sat in a Dallas courtroom, there are little notices everywhere telling you about the "gravity" of court, respect for the judge, including giving your undivided attention (i.e., you may not read a magazine or book while waiting on a hearing in traffic court).

I am sure the guy deserved to be put away, but imagine if he really didn't deserve to be put away. Let's just say the judge didn't like him because he was black, or queer, and then behaved like that. It really is inexcusable
Kinda like the dog pissing on the Bush Cheney sign huh? :lol

[Yonivore]

The judge engaged in highly prejudicial and biased behavior and behaved entirely inappropriately for a court of law. If he has a lawyer with the brains of a four year old he'll be out on mistrial.

If you have ever sat in a Dallas courtroom, there are little notices everywhere telling you about the "gravity" of court, respect for the judge, including giving your undivided attention (i.e., you may not read a magazine or book while waiting on a hearing in traffic court).

I am sure the guy deserved to be put away, but imagine if he really didn't deserve to be put away. Let's just say the judge didn't like him because he was black, or queer, and then behaved like that. It really is inexcusable
It was a sentencing hearing you dunce. The trial was over, guilt had been established...this guy was on the lamb, caught, and returned to the court for sentencing.

Leave it to Nbadanallah to whine about the nonexistent.

[SpursWoman]

Yeah, I can see how you'd equate balloons & cake with a lynching. :wtf

[Samurai Jane]

I think he hurt himself on that stretch...

Is anyone else not surprised that Dan took the criminal's side here?

[Marcus Bryant]

If you have ever sat in a Dallas courtroom

Why am I not surprised that dannyboy is familiar with said courtroom?

[ClintSquint]

I can live with Texas justice.
We've go too many punks on our streets.

[Spurminator]

Dan's not reading as thoroughly as usual today...

[CosmicCowboy]

this guy was on the lamb,

he was an Aggie?...:lol

[Yonivore]

Is anyone else not surprised that Dan took the criminal's side here?
Nope.

I would be surprised if Nbadanallah weren't a criminal himself.