Federal Appeals Court Judge calls Blacks and Hispanics "predisposed to crime"

[arely staircase]

says death row inmates claiming "mental retardation" disgust her.

"Jones was a potential Supreme Court nominee during the Bush Administration. Until October, she was the chief judge on the conservative 5th Circuit Court of Appeals."

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/us-appeals-judge-accused-of-racial-bias-over?ref=fpb

A broad coalition of groups — including an agency funded by the Mexican government (the Mexican Capital Legal Assistance Program), various civil rights organizations, legal ethics experts, and law professors — filed the complaint against 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Edith Jones, who in October relinquished her title as “chief judge” of that court. The New Orleans-based court is one of the most conservative in the country and handles appeals from Texas, Mississippi and Louisiana.

The complaint alleges that at a speech on Feb. 20, 2013, to lawyers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Law, Jones made statements that violated basic rules of judicial ethics, including the fundamental duty of impartiality.

Among her statements:

That certain “racial groups like African Americans and Hispanics are predisposed to crime,” are “'prone' to commit acts of violence,” and get involved in more violent and “heinous” crimes than people of other ethnicities; That Mexican nationals would prefer to be on death row in the United States rather than serving prison terms in Mexico, and it is an insult for the United States to look to the laws of other countries such as Mexico; That Defendants' claims of racism, innocence, arbitrariness, and violations of international law and treaties are really nothing more than “red herrings” used by opponents of capital punishment;That claims of “mental retardation” by capital defendants disgust her, and the fact such persons were convicted of a capital crime is itself sufficient to prove they are not in fact “mentally retarded”; and that the imposition of a death sentence provides a positive service to capital-case defendants because defendants are likely to make peace with God only in the moment before their imminent execution.


Read more: http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/article/Complaint-alleges-federal-judge-is-prejudiced-4576828.php#ixzz2VLyQzV1C

[hootinholler]

1. Why is she still on the bench?

This seems grounds for impeachment.

[arely staircase]

2. good question

I thought it was outrageous.

[yellowcanine]

3. She needs to resign. No way any minority can have confidence in her impartiality now.

[arely staircase]

4. probably couldn't before

but at least she has made it official.

[arely staircase]

7. she is being defended by none other than the federalist society

to whom she was speaking at the time:

http://livewire.talkingpointsmemo.com/entry/group-that-sponsored-judges-talk-at-upenn-rejects?ref=fpblg

The University of Pennsylvania group that sponsored a senior federal judge's lecture at the university's law school in February is rejecting accusations that the judge's remarks displayed bias against minorities.

A number of civil rights groups and legal ethicists on Tuesday filed a complaint against Judge Edith H. Jones, of the 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals, arguing that her remarks in February violated the code of conduct for federal judges. But the Penn Federalist Society, which sponsored Jones' lecture, called the accusations "frivolous" in a post written Tuesday on the group's Facebook page.

"One-sided reporting and frivolous accusations," the society wrote above a link to an Associated Press story about the complaint against Jones. "Rest assured the Federalist Society does not host or harbor racist speakers. We're disappointed that constructive dialogue about federal habeas relief is being misrepresented like this."

[Cali_Democrat]

5. She said blacks and hispanics commit more “heinous” crimes?

Haven't most US serial killers been white?

Just sayin'

[arely staircase]

6. yep

nt

[DearAbby]

8. That is totally unacceptable.

why is this person still on the bench?

[dbackjon]

9. Why is she still on the bench?

SHE definitely needs to be heckled, non-stop. Until she leaves the country

[Lunacee_2013]

10. Whoa, that's real messed up, and of course Bush liked her.

All that racism and hate, how did she become a judge in the first place?