Judge reassigned for allegedly calling black woman juror 'Aunt Jemima'
Source: ABC News
A Pennsylvania judge has been temporarily removed from the bench after a conversation with two attorneys allegedly turned into a racist tirade about the "terrible decision" of putting "Aunt Jemima" on a jury. That jury in Allegheny County acquitted an accused drug dealer on Jan. 24 and allegedly set Common Pleas Judge Mark Tranquilli on a rant with Assistant District Attorney Thaddeus Dutkowski and defense attorney John Otte.
Once the verdict was read, Tranquilli allegedly tossed the verdict sheet and "held a private question-and-answer session with the members of the jury," according to a complaint filed by Otte on Jan. 25. Afterwards, the attorneys were told to wait almost 30 minutes to speak to Tranquilli in his chambers, where the judge expressed "dissatisfaction with the jury," Otte wrote.
Tranquilli allegedly berated Dutkowski for making a "terrible decision by allowing 'Aunt Jemima' on the jury," the complaint read. The judge was referring to Juror No. 4 -- a young black woman who "had worn a hair wrap" over her hair throughout the trial, according to the complaint. Tranquilli allegedly told the prosecutor that it was obvious that he was going to lose the case from the moment "Aunt Jemima" was picked because "her 'baby daddy' probably sells heroin and that her presumed bias in favor of heroin dealers had caused or contributed to the not guilty verdict," Otte wrote.
On Thursday, the newly appointed President of the Common Pleas Court Judge Kim Berkeley Clark temporarily resigned Tranquilli off the bench and to administrative duties, "effective immediately," according to the court filing. "Judge Tranquilli shall not preside over any cases during this assignment."
Read more: https://abcnews.go.com/US/judge-reassigned-allegedly-calling-black-woman-juror-aunt/story?id=68824246
The Allegheny County Bar Association (ACBA) President Lori McMaster issued a statement on Thursday demanding a complete investigation by the JCBP. "We have a duty to our members, our clients, and the African American and broader communities at large, to continue to take action to eliminate implicit and explicit racial bias in our legal system," said McMaster, in part.
RhodeIslandOne
(5,042 posts)bluestarone
(16,722 posts)Should be REMOVED!!
SeattleVet
(5,468 posts)Hopefully to something he is qualified for - like picking up dog turds, and cleaning out used condoms from public park restrooms.
HuskyOffset
(885 posts)that he be reassigned to rinsing urinal cakes.
GeoWilliam750
(2,519 posts)This will be expensive and divisive
yourmovemonkey
(264 posts)Every single case he's ever presided over that involved an African American defendant needs to be reviewed.