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Playinghardball

(11,665 posts)
Thu Oct 24, 2013, 05:51 PM Oct 2013

Texas judge forced to resign after caught texting instructions to assistant DA during trial

Oh, the hilarity that is the phrase "criminal justice system." Talk to any defense attorney and they'll tell you how the deck is stacked against defendants and defense lawyers. The ideal of "innocent until proven guilty" has become little more than a disclaimer tacked onto cop-centered reality shows. Defendants are guilty until the jury is somehow tricked by the defense into handing down a "not guilty" verdict. A lot of effort goes towards dissuading defendants from even making it this far, as prosecutors will present worst-case scenarios comprised of every violation conceivable in order to get an agreement to plead guilty to a lesser charge.

The prevailing perception that the person charged is guilty, with the only answer yet to be determined is how guilty, makes defending arrestees an uphill battle. Judge (former judge) Elizabeth Coker took this uphill battle, increased the grade to 85 degrees, covered it with a sheet of ice and sprinkled it with a 50/50 blend of Teflon and motor oil.

Elizabeth E. Coker may forever be known as the "texting judge," but her notoriety will soon be all that is left of her days on the bench of the 258th District Court of Polk, Trinity, and San Jacinto Counties. Coker signed an "AGREEMENT TO RESIGN FROM JUDICIAL OFFICE IN LIEU OF DISCIPLINARY ACTION" with the State Commission on Judicial Conduct…
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The agreement comes in the wake of a recent investigation revealing Coker texted instructions from the bench to a Polk County Assistant District Attorney who was assisting in the prosecution of a case in Coker's court.


The good news is that Coker is being stripped of all of her judicial power. Once the resignation goes through, she won't even be able to perform a wedding. The bad news is that this texting incident was only one of several alleged incidents in which Coker undermined the justice system. [Perhaps someone should have passed her, and any prosecutors dealing with her courtroom, a copy of this letter from a Texas DA warning his staff away from ex parte discussions...]

More at: http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2013/10/24/texas-judge-forced-to-resign-after-caught-texting-instructions-to-assistant-da-during-trial/
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Texas judge forced to resign after caught texting instructions to assistant DA during trial (Original Post) Playinghardball Oct 2013 OP
ABuse the public trust and resign in lieu of action? BULLSHIT. elehhhhna Oct 2013 #1
Does resign = keep the pension? elehhhhna Oct 2013 #2
Yes, per the Houston Chronicle article earlier this week. cloudbase Oct 2013 #4
Unbelievable. rug Oct 2013 #3
Texas again???? redstatebluegirl Oct 2013 #5
It's damn tough these days trying to find something/anything sacred..Geez...n/t monmouth3 Oct 2013 #6
As one who is compelled to always fight cronyism corrupt; this is par for the course laserhaas Oct 2013 #7
She should be expected to pay both sides costs for all the retrials dickthegrouch Oct 2013 #8
All of her trials are likely subject to appeal. nt SDjack Oct 2013 #9
Corruptness!!! polk county resident Oct 2013 #10
I hope your brother gets his real day in court. Good luck. nt okaawhatever Oct 2013 #11
Hello ~ polk county resident In_The_Wind Oct 2013 #12
welcome to DU gopiscrap Oct 2013 #13
Is the judge a republican? B Calm Oct 2013 #14
 

elehhhhna

(32,076 posts)
1. ABuse the public trust and resign in lieu of action? BULLSHIT.
Thu Oct 24, 2013, 05:56 PM
Oct 2013

How about fired and busted and sued by years and years of defendants?

 

rug

(82,333 posts)
3. Unbelievable.
Thu Oct 24, 2013, 06:01 PM
Oct 2013

I have a jury out now on a defendant indicted for sending indecent material to a minor on facebook.

This is worse.

 

laserhaas

(7,805 posts)
7. As one who is compelled to always fight cronyism corrupt; this is par for the course
Thu Oct 24, 2013, 06:36 PM
Oct 2013

What is unusual - is that the bad faith justice was "caught" red-handed.

THANKS for posting this thread!

dickthegrouch

(3,175 posts)
8. She should be expected to pay both sides costs for all the retrials
Thu Oct 24, 2013, 07:52 PM
Oct 2013

That should make short shrift of her pension and any other ill-gotten gains.

10. Corruptness!!!
Fri Oct 25, 2013, 01:35 AM
Oct 2013

I agree with many of the people that have posted on here...Judge coker has also ruined my families life. She sentenced my 37 year old brother 99 years for allegedly sexually abusing his own daughter. There was no evidence presented that he committed this crime that he was accused of and the examiner that examined the child stated in court that the child had not been touched. But yet her and Lee Hon can ruin someone's life behind false accusations. On top of that the whole court proceedings were unethical. For instance all during the trial there were jokes and laughter going on from Coker as well as the district attorney (Lee Hon). Another thing that took place that I was uncertain about was the fact that my brother asked for another attorney instead of the present court appointed lawyer and she told my parents that the only way that he could change lawyers is if a new lawyer is present before the trial the next day. I don't give credit to Karma, I give all credit to God because he said in his word that "you will reap what you sow." In my opinion Coker was able to get off easy but her judgement day is coming and she will have to answer to the almighty God for all of the many lives in Polk County, San Jacinto County, Trinity County, and other counties that she have destroyed behind her coruptness!!!

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