Justice Is Blind
Published May 26, 2004
Would having a stinking fall-down drunken judge reduce your respect for the law? Those fuddy-duddies in Louisiana seem to think so:
- District Judge Monty L. Doggett issued arrest warrants when he was too drunk to read them, was sometimes so intoxicated that court had to be canceled and once had to be carried out of his courtroom by deputies, the Louisiana Supreme Court said in its unanimous ruling Tuesday.
"Although we feel compassion for Judge Doggett's struggle to maintain sobriety, we must, first and foremost, consider the grave implications which this misconduct casts upon the judiciary," the court said.
Doggett was suspended with pay by the high court in 2002 stemming from a complaint. The Judiciary Commission of Louisiana later recommended his removal, and the high court removed him Tuesday.
Doggett claimed that since he was re-elected after his alcoholism was made public, his constituents were aware of his problem and did not care.
But the high court said a judge can be disciplined for violating the code of office, "even if his constituency condones such behavior." [AP]
- Justice Is Blind
- Published: May 26, 2004
- Type:
- Section: Culture
- Writer: Eric Olsen
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Comments on this articleComments
Corruption, gumbo, year-round Mardi Gras, great musical heritage, fear of underwear, drunken judges, and the most freaky bizarre accent in the contiguous 48 states: it's a mixed bag down there.
L-O-U-I-S-I-A-N-A ! The best politicians
that money can buy. This state is very
close to being a 3rd world nation,what
with the illiteracy,crime and political
corruption being on par with any Banana
Republic you can name.I spent years in
New Orleans this place is unique unto itself and will likely never change.
his son is in the top tier of my friends. my aunt is the governor. i'm sure louisiana is not the only place in america where addiction is found in high places. kennedy was well known to be addicted to pain pills.
i don't know. I love that family, i know every member very well and i only hope for their recovery and succsess.
it is indicitative of a definite trend in louisiana culture towards alcoholism but i think this is speaking for america at large as well. it's no good to make louisiana a scapegoat for this sort of behavior but we always have been. Is he the first alcoholic judge in american history? doubtful, but he is the first to be dealt concequences.
this is a very personal story as well as political.
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what the hell is going on down there?
at least they had the sense to shoot down the low-rider pants legislation.
i'm not kidding.