Our esteemed President of the Magnolia Bar Association, Carlton Reeves, writes a vigorous protest regarding the recent reprimand of former Justice Court Judge Niki Boland by the Mississippi Supreme Court:
For two years, the judge continued to sit in judgment of cases brought by and against African Americans. She also lashed out at the Hinds County Board of Supervisors - with an African-American majority - claiming its members were ignorant and lacked leadership.
Despite her truly repulsive behavior, the Supreme Court determined that Boland's actions simply merited a public reprimand. The court and commission should be ashamed. Fortunately, when it was time for Judge Boland to stand before the voters, they booted her out of office.
If an African-American judge stood up in a meeting representing the county and said the same about white people, would the Supreme Court give that judge a pass?
Carlton W. Reeves
President
Magnolia Bar Association
http://www.clarionledger.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=2008804030307
It is wonderful that Mr. Reeves is so interested in how the Mississippi Supreme Court disciplines judges. Unfortunately, Mr. Reeves then had a bout of binary thinking and whined that if a black judge had made similar comments, he would have received a more severe punishment. However, Mr. Reeves' comments smell more of grandstanding for his association than a concern for justice. What exactly could the Court have done to Ms. Boland in addition to the public reprimand? Suspend her? Expel her from the bench? She was already off of the bench. Except for a fine or reprimand, there is very little additional punishment the Court could have administered to this um, colorful judge (Indeed, the Court made note of this in its opinion and stated that its options were rather limited. see link at end of paragraph). Make no mistake. Judge Boland's comments were stupid, racist, and deserved punishment. No one has stepped forward to defend them. Judge Boland is not the sharpest tool in the judicial shed and its no surprise she was defeated in her re-election attempt. However, there are worse things than a judge tastelessly criticizing Doug Anderson and his cronies. Mississippi Supreme Court Opinion:
http://www.mssc.state.ms.us/ISYS/isysquery/547afbb5-ec92-4e94-ba7a-3b8a401417ef/1/doc/
Since Mr. Reeves is so concerned with double standards, someone should ask him why he has been so silent on Judge Houston Patton and his medieval actions concerning Attorney Keith Shelton and James Jennings. See http://www.folo.us/the-shelton-series/
If you are not familiar with this case, consider yourself lucky for reading about this case is guaranteed to make you ill as it is an example where truth really is stranger than fiction. See http://folo.files.wordpress.com/2008/01/shelton-tribunal-reco.pdf
This is not gossip or rumor but is a finding of fact published by the Mississippi Bar. Thanks to the direct and concrete actions of Judge Patton (who is black), James Jennings (who is white) was thrown in jail and kept there without bond or charges despite the actions of three different attorneys. Judge Patton lied to the Hinds County Sheriff's office and had James Jennings and his lawyer, Keith Shelton, arrested for trying to bribe him (They had sued the Judge and were trying to settle the case). Shelton lost his license to practice law for 11 years. The Mississippi Bar reopened the case, reversed its findings, and submitted them to the Mississippi Supreme Court, which recently reinstated his license to practice law.
Not once did Mr. Reeves or his precious Magnolia Bar Association offer one word of outrage over Judge Patton's lettre de cachet against Mr. Jennings and his vendetta against Keith Shelton, who dared to file a Section 1983 suit against him on behalf of Mr. Jennings (You do remember Section 1983 suits, don't you Mr. Reeves? Its used by civil rights attorneys to personally sue public officials who intentionally deprive Americans of their constitutional rights.). Not once did Mr. Reeves or the Magnolia Bar offer a friend of the court brief seeking the reinstatement of Keith Shelton's license. Judge Patton, whose wife is a co-chairwoman of Obama's Mississippi campaign, has escaped the notice of Mr. Reeves who worries about what some judge who is now out of office said a few years ago and yet does not provide ANY evidence that Judge Boland mishandled any cases before her court. One would expect Mr. Reeves to give examples of where Judge Boland engaged in racist treatment of defendants in her courtroom given his public professions of outrage.
Such grandstanding is nothing new for Mr. Reeves, who was last seen several months ago raising hell about the lack of black judges among the list of special judges appointed for Hinds County by the Mississippi Supreme Court, even though he declined an appointment and as President of the Magnolia Bar did not offer a list of candidates. See earlier post: http://kingfish1935.blogspot.com/2008/01/those-who-lead-should-serve.html
Mr. Reeves' letter is regrettable in that it shows that he thinks words hurt worse more than not just sticks and stones, but also sitting in jail for no reason or not being able to earn a living because one's law license has been suspended due to a judge's falsehoods. Since Mr. Reeves is so concerned with our judges in Hinds County, perhaps he will use his position as President of the Magnolia Bar to speak out against judges like Judge Patton, who are not fit to sit on the bench. Given Mr. Reeves' public comments however, one should not expect such behavior from him as that might actually require leadership and fairness. Until Mr. Reeves issues a statement on Judge Patton and the Shelton case, it is hard to take him seriously when he grandstands over a judge who couldn't keep her mouth shut and is no longer on the bench.
See Shelton reinstatement: http://www.folo.us/2008/03/28/j-keith-shelton-esq
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
Carlton Reeves: Grandstander or Leader?
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8 comments:
There's nothing intrinsically wrong with grandstanding; sometimes that simply comes with the territory of being an advocate. Carlton Reeves does fine work as leader of the Magnolia Bar.
Obviously Houston Patton has no business on the bench, but the purpose of the Magnolia Bar is to advocate for black law professionals. It's not to comment on every single controversy that erupts in Mississippi law. I mean, he isn't talking about Scruggs or DeLaughter, either, as far as I know.
As far as Niki Boland is concerned, I say any judge who feels comfortable saying "the African-American community can go to hell" has no business on the bench. Voters fired her, and the Mississippi Supreme Court didn't have to, but that sentiment--which is certainly present in the minds of many white judges--should be confronted. If Carlton Reeves is a grandstander, what was Niki Boland?
because Reeves was dead wrong.
THe Court did what it could under the law. period.
Show me some of the good work he has done? All I'm seeing is a bunch of protesting and hellraising and nothing substantive on these issues. WHen he says something about Patton, Jennings, and Shelton, then I'll take him seriously.
As for in the past, he complained about no black judges but as President of the Magnolia Bar, he was in a better position than anyone else to submit a list of qualified candidates to the Chief Justice and chose not to do so. He also turned down an appointment himself.
As for Niki Boland, what she said was offensive and I don't think she is that bright at all and she was disciplined under what was allowed by the rules. She is off the bench. Reeves was grandstanding because he KNEW what the rules were and then wrote what he did.
Wait, maybe he didn't. I remember when he was a defendent in the Mississippi Supreme Court on a Rule 11 sanction and he damn sure wanted their mercy then for some sloppy work he submitted to the Court.
Kingfish, you're taking Carlton to task for the same thing you decry Donna Ladd for doing to you. You're mad because he dares to complain about an injustice--when he doesn't complain about every single bad thing of all time.
You get furious--and many times I agree with you--when Donna and you have a dispute and you think she's straw-manning you all to hell. This is the same thing.
In other words--"how dare he be outraged over x, when y also happened! WHERE IS HIS PUBLIC STATEMENT ON Y!!" It's just base trolling, and your stuff is nearly always better than that.
See also:
Carlton Reeves cannot decry racist actions until he denounces Hitler, Stalin, South Africa, &tc.
Aside from that, your post is dripping with paternalism and condescension which, frankly, ruins any of your good points. Calling the esteemed bar association of African-Americans "precious" and the mocking tone regarding §1983 suits--that just gives ammo for people to say you're biased. Frankly, Carlton Reeves is rightfully regarded as one of the most intelligent lawyers in the City, and this sort of false-sparring makes the blog look foolish.
Aside from my criticism, I did follow the Judge Boland story (full disclosure: I have supported her in the past). And I did NOT know about the one regarding the Judge Patton story, so thanks for the head's up on it. But I say stick to your (excellent) blogging/reporting and stay away from the concern trolling and ad hominem attacks.
Gorjus:
read the Tribunal report on SHelton from the Mississippi Bar and you'll see why I am so mad.
My beef with Reeves is that the Court did what it could under the law and that wasn't enough for him. Um, what should they have done, created new laws on the spot? For him to say the same would not have happened if it was a black judge was race-baiting as far as I'm concerned. Just tell me what else the Court could have done. They also fined her 4 grand to cover court costs.
I also dont' think I'm out of line for admonishing him for not providing a list of qualified candidates for Special Circuit Court judgeships. I can think of 2 or 3 right off of the top of my head. James Henley would be a good one and there are others. If you lead, you lead.
Appreciate your comments and you make some good points.
and gorgus, your criticism about me is somewhat justified. in my opinion, a dumbass like Boland running her mouth off is not as bad as throwing someone in jail for no cause and without bail and holding him there until he signs away his property or taking a man's ability to live by working for 11 years.
I don’t personally know the individuals being spoken of but its relatively clear that they mostly all come for the same corrupt judicial/government shed of disrepute that needs to be demolished and a more honest judicial/government shed built, if that is even possible? To me it seems like the injected black/white etc. warfare only seeks to distract and muddy the waters while the atrocities committed against the mostly poor peons of any color go totally unattended and shoved into the background? While the super-ego somebodies of the elitist class attempt to change the subject and try to make it about this or that petty issue there are real live citizens’ suffering and dieing needlessly.
I make no claims to being politically correct nor do I have such a desire so should I offended somebody, well it just bee’s like that from time to time.
Thanks for allowing me the opportunity to make a unedited and/or uncensored comment, see ya
I have noticed far more than the Magnolia Bar silent on Houston J Patton, however, I hear from good source, Patton is about to have to pick up the soap.And yes, it's about to happen shortly. You can bet he's not going to do down by himself.
Oh I'm sure his toadies will leap to his rescue.....wait, on 2nd thought. I'll bet they leave him like the turd in the punchbowl he is.
Oh yea...and Shelton and his client are white. Can you just picture the hoorah if the races had of been reverses? Jesse and his Rent A Riot show would be in town with Al Sharpton in tow.
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