Panel Admonishes Wash. Judge Who Urged Courtroom to Say 'Go Seahawks'

The Associated Press
08-10-2006
A state panel has disciplined a judge who ordered cheers in court for the Super Bowl-bound Seattle Seahawks before issuing a manslaughter sentence.

Pierce County Superior Court Judge Beverly Grant asked about 100 people in court to say "Go Seahawks" before taking their seats on Feb. 3. Dissatisfied with the low volume of the response, she repeated the request.

That same day, Grant sentenced Steve Keo Teang to 13 1/2 years for manslaughter in the 2005 shooting death of Tino Patricelli, 28.

The Seahawks played in the Super Bowl that weekend. Patricelli's stepmother said she was offended in part because the game fell on the anniversary of her stepson's death.

Grant, who was appointed to the bench in 2003, apologized the following Monday. She eventually filed the formal conduct complaint against herself.

"Although my intentions were to defuse the courtroom situation, I realize now the inappropriateness of my opening comments," Grant told the commission.

The state Commission on Judicial Conduct gave the judge an admonishment, the panel's lowest-ranking punishment. An admonishment is a written reprimand.

I think in West Texas, were a judge to order, or request the people in court to say "Go Horns" or "Gig 'Em", they'd be tossed off the bench in the next primary.

that's it? that's all she did? that makes the news?

I suspect the result might have been different if the judge had delayed the team boosting until after reading the sentence.

Also might have come out different if the Seahawks had won.

Thrown off the bench because the same day (notice the article did not say immediately after just "that same day") as a sentencing, a Judge in Texas the week before a National Championship game in which the Aggies [fat chance] or the Horns were playing got the audience to say Gig 'em or Hook 'em ??!!

Not likely !!

And come on now, she complained on herself

From the San Jose Tattletale
(up)
The Tattletale has just learned that the Supreme Court of Arkansas is considering reversing itself on a recent decision granting Homeowners Associations the power to plant Black--eyed Susans on any greenscape within the property lines of particular retirement villages. In their landmark 3-2 decision, the Court found that the Fayetteville area's Blue Hair Mobile Home Village and RV Park was found to be within their rights when they filled Mr. & Mrs. Wycklcrzitx's mailbox with mothballs and rescinded their Bingo privileges. Attorneys for Blue Hair, in arguments before the Court, described that the disciplinary acts of the Association came after the couple missed their driveway one evening following supper at Luby's and parked on the front lawn, smashing two young, newly-planted, Association-owned Susans.

Although the Court's decision came amid intense controversy and brought the much sought-after relief that HOA's around the state were hoping for, it seems that one of the justices turned himself in to the other members of the court, admitting that shortly before the vote, he had ordered his clerks to join him in rallying behind the Fightin' Dirtdobbers of the Myrtle Lewis Beauty College. The justice, known only to the other members of the Court, admitted that, being as the vote happened to come on the day that MLBC was facing-off with their arch-rival Nails by Naomi in a rock-paper-scissors competition, he told his clerks to give a victory buzz and '...raise your stingers high, as we fly on to victory...' then, unhappy with the weak victory buzz, insisted that they do it again, louder. The justice lamented in his self-condemnation that he refused to put his robe on and cast his vote until he was satsified with the clerks' enthusiasm. It appears now that the wheels of justice must once again begin their slow grind, and the Blue Hair controversy will continue.

Myrtle Lewis won, however. Putting in their secret weapon, 7-fingered Hannah (her perms are done in half the time) when the competition went to triple overtime.

Stacey, they're all a little off up there. My brother and sister-in-law live in Seattle. The Emerald City is the lunatic armpit of the left coast. Maybe it's the constant drizzle without a good rain. Maybe it's sea water. Maybe it's the troll under the Lake Union bridge. Some things just aren't worth explaining. But the Salmon up there makes visiting worth the trip.