There is an extraordinary story coming out of Georgia this week where two Murray County sheriff’s deputies pleaded guilty in federal court for their part in a scheme to frame a woman, Angela Garmley (left), after she accused Chief Magistrate Judge Bryant Cochran of soliciting sex from her in return to favorable treatment in her pending divorce case. Three other women have accused Cochran of such abuse.
Garmley says that on April 9, 2012, she went to the court in relation to an assault on her on the previous day. She says that Cochran asked to meet with her alone in his office and starting questioning her about the state of her marriage. She quotes him as saying “My wife doesn’t take care of my sexual needs and I need a mistress to have sex with I can trust.” She says that the judge said that he had “a real boner” for her and allegedly told her to “Come back on Wednesday with a dress and no panties so we can have sex.”
After she made the charge against Cochran, she was arrested for possession of methamphetamines. She insisted the drugs were planted in retaliation for the charge against Cochran. She was stopped by Deputy Josh Greeson as a passenger in a car because the driver failed to dim his headlights. Greeson used a drug dog to search the car after noticing Garmley stumble slightly and that she had “slurred speech.” Greeson said that the dog located a small metal can stuck under the driver’s door containing meth.
Garmley could have faced decades in jail and has now accused Cochran, two deputies, and a handyman named C.J. with the conspiracy.
Notably, the drug charge was dropped, but it takes one year for the charge to be removed from Garmley’s record.
The deputies are awaiting sentencing on charges of obstruction of justice and perjury.
Cochran has resigned. However, this came after an investigation into other violations of whether Cochran “allowed the prestige of his office to advance his private interests” and he “pre-signed blank arrest warrants for completion by law enforcement officers while he was absent from the office.” Before his resignation, Cochran dismissed the allegations by Garmley: “This is a politically timed, politically motivated personal attack on my family and I.”
The missing link here is the role of the former judge. If he was involved in the conspiracy, it is not clear why he has not been criminally charged. If he was not involved, what was the motivation for the conspiracy. Of course, even if that allegation is unproven or unsubstantiated, there appears more than enough basis for his removal if he had not resigned.
In many instances, in many locales judicial misconduct has become the rule, not the exception, as we have seen here time and again.
hamster porn
The investigators did a masterful job of leading the cops to believe that their co-conspirators already cracked. The “pros” fell for the trick. Low IQ played a part as they tried to hide “text” records by stealing the cell phones. ( the service provider keeps a log)
MikeP, I still bet he’s a Republican..has to be!!!
laser, I just get sooo tired of some of the partisans here who can’t admit that both parties have bad actors idiots, a$$holes, buffoons, thieves, perverts, etc.
Kelly,
Magistrate Court judges in Georgia are elected in nonpartisan races.
I concur to some degree nick.
However
If the empirical evidence were to be vetted properly, the overwhelming, profuse and irrefutable documentation of the “Right” doing wrong is telltale (as per the lady of justice scale).
Finding the just cause fighting examples of a Bernie Sanders, Elizabeth Warrens on the “Right” side of the fence – would also be an exercise in futility!
Kelly, Let me guess, Republicans are pigs and Dems would never do this. Puhleaase!
Hey Big Mike!
I love you!
So apropos with that insight – don’t cha know!
LOL
Blouise – “Ask Clarence Thomas”
:o) ;op
Is it time to play the old standby, the “Name that Party” game? Or are Chief Magistrates supposed to be apolitical? I googled searched this, but the political party was not named in the fistful of stories i scanned over.
Just curious…
That is a very sad state of affairs Otteray.
It is a shame that tyranny, cronyism and corruption in this country (as one can see by the comments above) – is expected as the norm;
rather than the single aberrant bad faith act exception!
I have been threatening to start writing a series I will call, “Judges Run Amok.” Sadly, I have quite a long list, and a never-ending supply of cases/incidents.
Did anyone here know about Bobby DeLaughter, the former assistant district attorney in Jackson, MS? Bobby was played by Alec Baldwin in the movie Ghosts of Mississippi. Bobby DeLaughter prosecuted Byron De La Beckwith for the murder of Medgar Evers.
Beckwith assassinated Medgar Evers in his own driveway fifty years ago yesterday.
Bobby DeLaughter later became a criminal court judge, presiding in the same courtroom where he had successfully prosecuted Byron De La Beckwith for Evers’ murder. Bobby was accused of lying to the FBI and obstruction of justice in a bribery scandal. He was disbarred, removed from the bench, and sentenced to 18 months in Federal Prison. He was released on April 13, 2011 Sad.
Story here: http://www.cnn.com/2010/CRIME/01/04/mississippi.medgar.evers.prosecutor/index.html
As if that were not enough, former District Attorney, Ed Peters (played by Craig T. Nelson in the movie) “voluntarily” surrendered his law license and “retired.” I have talked with a number of lawyers who practice in central Mississippi, and they all tell me that Ed threw Bobby under the bus to keep from going to prison himself. Ed got off by retiring, but he had made a lot of money anyway and is now in his mid to late 70s.
http://www.msnewsnow.com/Global/story.asp?S=9627844
It amazes me that she has been largely successful in battling these criminal acts against her.
That, at least, is encouraging. How many others have endured similar attacks and been swallowed by the system?
I believe they have judges wear robes specifically for the “boner” issue. Women judges just wear them for continuity. Is the “Worst Judges in The World” day. I’ve dealt w/ a few who could make a list but they aren’t in these 2 categories. Mostly they’re just very stupid and incredibly injudicious.
Good lord … enter a courtroom as a defendant, leave as a sex slave. Let’s ask Clarence Thomas for an opinion on the matter.
Nothing, absolutely nothing surprises me anymore. Officials who abuse their power, who lie and cover up have done immeasurable damage to our country and the social contract. It is tragic.
What’s extraordinary about this story? That it involved a judge ordering evidence planted rather than a cop deciding to plant evidence on his own?
Not surprised. Abusive behavior by judges takes many forms:
http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/430/very-tough-love
There is an opening at the FISA court for a judge like that.
I am not shocked by this. As a former criminal defense attorney, what goes on in chambers in courthouses is many times abusive. Judges are kings and queens and they know it.
Keep doing what you do