Nbadan
12-15-2004, 02:31 PM
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - A judge refused to delay a trial Tuesday when an attorney objected to his wearing a judicial robe with the Ten Commandments embroidered on the front in gold.
Circuit Judge Ashley McKathan showed up Monday at his Covington County courtroom in southern Alabama wearing the robe. Attorneys who try cases at the courthouse said they had not seen him wearing it before. The commandments were described as being big enough to read by anyone near the judge.
Attorney Riley Powell, defending a client charged with DUI, filed a motion objecting to the robe and asking that the case be continued. He said McKathan denied both motions.
"I feel this creates a distraction that affects my client," Powell said.
McKathan told The Associated Press that he believes the Ten Commandments represent the truth "and you can't divorce the law from the truth. ... The Ten Commandments can help a judge know the difference between right and wrong."
Yahoo News (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=533&e=3&u=/ap/20041215/ap_on_re_us/ten_commandments_robe)
Someone should challenge the Judge to recit the 10 commandments without looking down at his robe. If he can recit them from memory, he gets to keep them on. If not, they come off. No hypocrite should be a judge.
Circuit Judge Ashley McKathan showed up Monday at his Covington County courtroom in southern Alabama wearing the robe. Attorneys who try cases at the courthouse said they had not seen him wearing it before. The commandments were described as being big enough to read by anyone near the judge.
Attorney Riley Powell, defending a client charged with DUI, filed a motion objecting to the robe and asking that the case be continued. He said McKathan denied both motions.
"I feel this creates a distraction that affects my client," Powell said.
McKathan told The Associated Press that he believes the Ten Commandments represent the truth "and you can't divorce the law from the truth. ... The Ten Commandments can help a judge know the difference between right and wrong."
Yahoo News (http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=533&e=3&u=/ap/20041215/ap_on_re_us/ten_commandments_robe)
Someone should challenge the Judge to recit the 10 commandments without looking down at his robe. If he can recit them from memory, he gets to keep them on. If not, they come off. No hypocrite should be a judge.