Trump’s America: Judge disciplined for ‘lynch law’ remarks

A judge in Texas has been reprimanded after suggesting on Facebook that a black murder suspect should be given “a tree and a rope”.

Judge James Oakley of Burnet County made the comment under a post he shared about the arrest of Otis Tyrone McKane, who is accused of killing San Antonio police officer Benjamin Marconi.

The Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct opened an investigation into his comment after 18 complaints were made.

Judge Oakley denied that his comment was a reference to lynching, instead claiming it was “a reference to the humorous advertising campaign for Pace Picante Sauce salsa from the 1980s”.

However, the commission concluded he had “cast reasonable doubt on his capacity to act impartially in the performance of his duties”.

Reprimanding Judge Oakley, the commission also ordered him to take four hours of racial sensitivity training and 30 hours of judicial training.

Meanwhile, the commission is asking the Texas Supreme Court to suspend Judge Hilary Green of Harris County after she allegedly lied to the commission about her addiction to prescription cough syrup.

The petition states: “Judge Green’s pattern of deception to the Commission is incompatible with continuing to serve as a judge.”

It also states that Judge Green engaged in “conduct fundamentally antithetical to that of a sitting judge” following allegations that she consumed marijuana and ecstasy with an ex-boyfriend.

In divorce proceedings from 2015, Judge Green’s ex-husband alleged that she had ongoing sexual relationships with “litigants and witnesses”.

Court records also show Judge Green has accepted that she previously exchanged sexual text messages with a bailiff in her court.