Mason Judge George Parker - the saga continues
Judge's lawyer asks for leniency - Cites mental condition
Here's the latest from the Cincinnati Enquirer
MASON - Judge George Parker's lawyer is asking the Supreme Court to reduce - or even eliminate - a proposed yearlong suspension of Parker's law license, saying much of his bizarre behavior can be blamed on a personality disorder that is now being treated.
But a close associate of Parker filed a statement offering the Ohio Supreme Court a different explanation for the judge's actions.
According to George D. Jonson, the Cincinnati lawyer handling Parker's case, the court should impose no suspension as long as Parker continues to undergo treatment and meets other conditions that the Supreme Court's Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline recommended
"The object of a sanction is to protect the public, not punish the lawyer," Jonson wrote in a 32-page brief, released Monday by the court.
Parker has acknowledged that some of his conduct was inappropriate and violated some rules.
But Jonson argued that Parker deserves leniency because of his mental condition.
However, in a 36-page brief, William Scherpenberg, a clerk in Parker's court, casts doubt on the diagnosis of the judge's disorder.
"It is my understanding that George Parker personally paid an independent physician," said Scherpenberg's brief, which was also released Monday.
"... (And) this physician's findings do not agree with the board's physician," he added.
Scherpenberg also claims local officials conspired to vilify Parker because they didn't like his unconventional approach to justice when he replaced a longtime judge who retired.
From 1972 to 2001, David K. Batsche presided over the court, which handles misdemeanors and traffic cases for Mason and Deerfield Township in Warren County.
The apparent conflict over Parker's condition is the latest development in a saga that began when Parker "self-reported" his alleged misconduct to the Supreme Court's disciplinary arm in 2004.
That complaint launched a lengthy investigation, which found that Parker routinely belittled people in his courtroom and sometimes overstepped his judicial bounds.
Examples included misuse of 911 to summon an officer to his chambers to order the arrest of a woman who raised her hand to ask a question in court.
A disciplinary board in June recommended that Parker's law license be suspended for a year for violating rules of conduct for judges and lawyers. Another six months could be imposed if he fails to continue treatment or other conditions, the board recommended.
Any suspension of Parker's law license would render him ineligible to serve as a judge. It's unclear when the Supreme Court will decide Parker's punishment.
Parker's efforts at re-election also remain in question. He has requested that the Supreme Court order the Warren elections board to place his name and those of two other would-be candidates on the Nov. 6 ballot. The elections board previously ruled that Parker, formerly elected as a Republican, and two others did not meet required criteria to be considered independent candidates.
The court has not indicated when it would decide the ballot issue. Batsche's son, D. Andrew Batsche, is running as the Republican nominee for Parker's seat.
Parker was evaluated by Dr. Douglas Beech, a psychiatrist in Columbus, at the board's request in September 2006. Beech concluded that Parker suffered from narcissistic personality disorder.
"Because persons with narcissistic personality disorder have grandiose self-esteem, they are vulnerable to intense reactions when their self-image is damaged," he said. "They respond with strong feelings of hurt or anger to even small slights, rejections, defeats or criticisms."
Beech said he thought that public exposure of Parker's problem could force a positive change in his behavior. But he concluded, "Parker's condition does present him with ongoing vulnerabilities in his ability to consistently practice (law) in a safe and responsible manner."
Jonson says Parker was not accused of unlawful activity, had no previous record of alleged disciplinary infractions, and exhibited no dishonest behavior that directly harmed others. Rather, he said, Parker is accused of "intemperate judicial conduct" and "poor judicial judgment."
Here's the latest from the Cincinnati Enquirer
MASON - Judge George Parker's lawyer is asking the Supreme Court to reduce - or even eliminate - a proposed yearlong suspension of Parker's law license, saying much of his bizarre behavior can be blamed on a personality disorder that is now being treated.
But a close associate of Parker filed a statement offering the Ohio Supreme Court a different explanation for the judge's actions.
According to George D. Jonson, the Cincinnati lawyer handling Parker's case, the court should impose no suspension as long as Parker continues to undergo treatment and meets other conditions that the Supreme Court's Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline recommended
"The object of a sanction is to protect the public, not punish the lawyer," Jonson wrote in a 32-page brief, released Monday by the court.
Parker has acknowledged that some of his conduct was inappropriate and violated some rules.
But Jonson argued that Parker deserves leniency because of his mental condition.
However, in a 36-page brief, William Scherpenberg, a clerk in Parker's court, casts doubt on the diagnosis of the judge's disorder.
"It is my understanding that George Parker personally paid an independent physician," said Scherpenberg's brief, which was also released Monday.
"... (And) this physician's findings do not agree with the board's physician," he added.
Scherpenberg also claims local officials conspired to vilify Parker because they didn't like his unconventional approach to justice when he replaced a longtime judge who retired.
From 1972 to 2001, David K. Batsche presided over the court, which handles misdemeanors and traffic cases for Mason and Deerfield Township in Warren County.
The apparent conflict over Parker's condition is the latest development in a saga that began when Parker "self-reported" his alleged misconduct to the Supreme Court's disciplinary arm in 2004.
That complaint launched a lengthy investigation, which found that Parker routinely belittled people in his courtroom and sometimes overstepped his judicial bounds.
Examples included misuse of 911 to summon an officer to his chambers to order the arrest of a woman who raised her hand to ask a question in court.
A disciplinary board in June recommended that Parker's law license be suspended for a year for violating rules of conduct for judges and lawyers. Another six months could be imposed if he fails to continue treatment or other conditions, the board recommended.
Any suspension of Parker's law license would render him ineligible to serve as a judge. It's unclear when the Supreme Court will decide Parker's punishment.
Parker's efforts at re-election also remain in question. He has requested that the Supreme Court order the Warren elections board to place his name and those of two other would-be candidates on the Nov. 6 ballot. The elections board previously ruled that Parker, formerly elected as a Republican, and two others did not meet required criteria to be considered independent candidates.
The court has not indicated when it would decide the ballot issue. Batsche's son, D. Andrew Batsche, is running as the Republican nominee for Parker's seat.
Parker was evaluated by Dr. Douglas Beech, a psychiatrist in Columbus, at the board's request in September 2006. Beech concluded that Parker suffered from narcissistic personality disorder.
"Because persons with narcissistic personality disorder have grandiose self-esteem, they are vulnerable to intense reactions when their self-image is damaged," he said. "They respond with strong feelings of hurt or anger to even small slights, rejections, defeats or criticisms."
Beech said he thought that public exposure of Parker's problem could force a positive change in his behavior. But he concluded, "Parker's condition does present him with ongoing vulnerabilities in his ability to consistently practice (law) in a safe and responsible manner."
Jonson says Parker was not accused of unlawful activity, had no previous record of alleged disciplinary infractions, and exhibited no dishonest behavior that directly harmed others. Rather, he said, Parker is accused of "intemperate judicial conduct" and "poor judicial judgment."
posted by Scott @ 9:17 AM
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