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Chief Justice John Kane IV of the Oklahoma Supreme Courtroom has really useful the removing of Lincoln County District Choose Traci Soderstrom.Soderstrom was caught on digicam earlier this 12 months sending over 500 textual content messages to her bailiff through the trial of a person accused of beating a two-year-old to demise.”The sample of conduct demonstrates Respondent’s (Soderstrom’s) gross neglect of obligation, gross partiality and oppression,” Kane wrote. “The conduct additional demonstrates Respondent’s (Soderstrom’s) lack of temperament to function a choose.”
A brand new Oklahoma choose might lose her job for sending greater than 500 texts to her bailiff throughout a homicide trial, together with messages mocking the prosecutor, praising the protection lawyer and calling a key witness a liar.
The chief justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Courtroom really useful the removing of Lincoln County District Choose Traci Soderstrom in a courtroom submitting Tuesday following an investigation by the state’s Council on Judicial Complaints.
Soderstrom has been underneath scrutiny since July after she was caught on digicam scrolling via social media and texting through the trial of a person accused within the deadly beating of a 2-year-old.
OKLAHOMA JUDGE CAUGHT SCROLLING THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA DURING MURDER TRIAL
Soderstrom, who was sworn in on Jan. 9 after being elected in November, was suspended with pay pending the end result of a listening to by the Courtroom on the Judiciary, which can decide whether or not to take away her from the bench.
“The sample of conduct demonstrates Respondent’s (Soderstrom’s) gross neglect of obligation, gross partiality and oppression,” Chief Justice John Kane IV wrote. “The conduct additional demonstrates Respondent’s (Soderstrom’s) lack of temperament to function a choose.”
A telephone name to a quantity listed for Soderstrom rang unanswered earlier than disconnecting Wednesday.
The choose’s texts included saying the prosecutor was “sweating via his coat” throughout questioning of potential jurors and asking “why does he have child palms?” in accordance with Kane’s petition. The texts described the protection lawyer as “superior” and requested “can I clap for her?” through the protection lawyer’s opening arguments.
Soderstrom additionally texted a laughing emoji icon to the bailiff, who had “made a crass and demeaning reference to the prosecuting attorneys’ genitals,” Kane wrote.
On this nonetheless picture from safety digicam video, Lincoln County District Choose Traci Soderstrom appears to be like at her cellphone throughout a homicide trial on June 12, 2023, on the Lincoln County District Courtroom in Chandler, Oklahoma. (The Oklahoman through AP/ Fb)
Khristian Tyler Martzall — the person who was on trial whereas the choose was on her telephone — was ultimately convicted of second-degree manslaughter within the 2018 demise of Braxton Danker, the son of Martzall’s girlfriend, and sentenced to time served.
Martzall’s girlfriend and the mom of the kid, Judith Danker, pleaded responsible to enabling baby abuse, was sentenced to 25 years and was a key prosecution witness who was known as a liar by Soderstrom throughout testimony.
“State simply couldn’t settle for {that a} mother might kill their child so that they went after the following particular person out there,” Soderstrom texted, in accordance with the submitting from Kane.
CA JUDGE PLEADS NOT GUILTY TO KILLING SPOUSE AFTER ALLEGEDLY TEXTING COURT STAFF ‘I JUST SHOT MY WIFE’
Soderstrom’s texts additionally included feedback questioning whether or not a juror was sporting a wig, if a witness has tooth and calling a police officer who testified, “fairly,” including, “I might take a look at him all day.”
When questioned by the Council on Judicial Complaints, Soderstrom mentioned her texting “in all probability might have waited” reasonably than realizing the feedback ought to by no means have been made. She mentioned she thought, “oh, that’s humorous. Transfer on.”
Safety video printed by The Oklahoman newspaper confirmed Soderstrom texting or messaging for minutes at a time throughout jury choice, opening statements and testimony through the trial in Chandler, about 45 miles northeast of Oklahoma Metropolis.
Kane’s petition additionally mentioned Soderstrom had beforehand criticized different attorneys and prosecutors, and berated a member of the courthouse workers.
Soderstrom ought to be eliminated for causes that embody gross neglect of obligation, gross partiality in workplace and oppression in workplace, Kane wrote.
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The choose’s four-year time period ends in January 2027.
Oklahoma chief justice requires removing of choose caught texting throughout 2-year-old’s homicide trial
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