Upshur County Judge Suspended With Pay
GILMER, TEXAS --The State Commission on Judicial Conduct today temporarily suspended Upshur County Judge Dean Fowler from office with pay following his indictment last week on two misdemeanor charges, Fowler's attorney confirmed. Gilmer attorney Todd Tefteller told The Tyler Paper the action was effective this morning until the charges against Fowler are resolved, and termed the commission's action "pretty standard procedure" in cases where judges have been indicted. Tefteller said the commission could suspend a judge with or without pay, and that it has made no finding in Fowler's case other than the fact he was indicted. Fowler, 49, had been sworn in only Saturday to begin his third term, just three days after the county's Grand Jury indicted him and two other county officials on misdemeanor charges. The charges involve allegations that a man was wrongfully removed from the Nov. 30 meeting of the Upshur County Commissioners Court when he put duct tape over his mouth to protest the court's ban on public comment. The judge and Precinct 3 County Commissioner Lloyd Crabtree are charged with official oppression and abuse of their offices, while Sheriff Anthony Betterton was also indicted on an official oppression charge. The charges are all class A misdemeanors punishable by a jail term and fine. Tefteller blasted the indictments before 115th District Judge Lauren Parish imposed a gag order in the case. He said the County Commissioners Court -- which has two newly-elected members who have yet to participate in a meeting -- could name an interim county judge who must be compensated. But Precinct 1 Commissioner James Crittenden said Tuesday he understood that Judge Parish may appoint an interim judge. Tefteller said Fowler himself notified the commission of the indictments on Monday, but the attorney could not comment further on Fowler's situation due to the gag order. Tefteller also said that under the gag order, Fowler cannot comment on the suspension, but that Fowler can continue his private law practice. Tyler attorney Robert Davis is joining Tefteller in representing all three officials in the misdemeanor cases.
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2 comments:
How about widespread JUNK JUSTICE. Things have gotten so bad that JUSTICE doesn't exist, from the local village court, to the Town, County, State and even FEDERAL COURTS! It's bad, very bad.
Something has to be done about the small court corruption. Who can we go to?
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