There is an interesting lawsuit filed over Cuyahoga Court of Common Pleas Judge Shirley Strickland Saffold who is suing the Plain Dealer over disclosing her identity and that of her daughter after the posted anonymous comments on articles. They are seeking $25 million in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages for alleged breach of contract and invasion of privacy. Her lawyer admitted that the judge may indeed have posted under the pseudonym “Lawmiss.”
Some of these comments dealt with a case before her involving alleged serial killer Anthony Sowell. His defense team demanded that Saffold recuse herself and she refused. In the hearing, Saffold said that Sowell’s attorney, Rufus Sims, was “the only person in this room calling me a liar.”
She is alleging breach of contract and invasion of privacy by not honoring the alleged assurance of anonymity.
For the full story, click here.
“Some of these comments dealt with a case before her involving alleged serial killer Anthony Sowell. His defense team demanded that Saffold recuse herself and she refused. In the hearing, Saffold said that Sowell’s attorney, Rufus Sims, was “the only person in this room calling me a liar.”
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While many of the arrogant are not incompetent, most all the incompetent are arrogant. This is a easily avoidable appellate issue caused by the Judge’s ego.
What “contract”? If you read the “terms and conditions” on these blogs, some of them promise they won’t sell your email address but they certainly don’t promise they won’t disclose your true email address and even if they did, they could be forced to by a court order. Anyone who posts under a pseudonym should never assume that their identity will NOT be disclosed. Maybe she has a claim under the breach of privacy claim. This woman is too stupid to be a judge and from what I hear she lacks “judicial temperment.”
‘They are seeking $25 million in compensatory damages and $25 million in punitive damages for alleged breach of contract’
$25 MILLION????????!!!!!!???????
I doubt that she hears many cases where she has to rule on privacy protection, but I’d be willing to risk a dollar on the following bet: This judge is like most people in power – she wants absolute privacy for herself, and is happy to compromise the privacy of others when it’s inconvenient.
Case in point: the UK parliament has implemented a national database/ID card, but very few MPs have themselves submitted their info and biometric data to receive a card. On top of that, they chiseled out exemptions for themselves from the UK’s Freedom on Information law. nice.
http://www.power2010.org.uk/blog/entry/one-rule-for-them/
This as well could happen to the Ohio Judge:
“Ingham County Judge removed from bench – Nettles-Nickerson ordered to pay $12,000 toward costs of case
The Supreme Court (of Michigan) adopted some of the recommendations made by the Judicial Tenure Commission, finding that Nettles-Nickerson lied under oath in her own divorce case, as well as fabricated evidence. It also found that Nettles-Nickerson improperly dismissed cases, was excessively absent and released a man from probation who was the boyfriend of her clerk.”
http://www.wzzm13.com/news/story.aspx?storyid=93783
Ohio Supreme Court to decide if Judge Shirley Strickland Saffold will preside over Anthony Sowell serial-killing trial
I just wonder what else has been posted under her “Daughters” name?
http://blog.cleveland.com/metro/2010/04/the_ohio_supreme_court_will_de.html
She is stubborn and an incompetent hothead, and stupid to discuss this with her daughter, and to let her daughter allegedly share her her email acct. She claims the daughter posted the comments from the courthouse. The state SC will make her recuse, but not until she makes a bigger fool of herself. It will take more than this to chase her off the bench in this county.
Foolish. She should recuse herself.