Capitol Annex is reporting that some of the other judges on the Court of Criminal Appeals “want Presiding Justice Sharon Keller to resign in order to halt proceedings brought by the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct.
The proceedings would force the justices to testify on activities surrounding the execution of death row inmate Micahel Richard.”
Reporting from an unrevealed source “closely connected with the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals”, Capitol Annex says that
several justices are not eager to take part in a trial proceeding as part of the Commission on Judicial Conduct complaint against Keller because it would result in further revealing the content of private meetings and closed door activities–many of which were revealed in the publicly distributed notice of formal proceedings, much to the chagrin of judges and longtime court employees. Each of the court’s other eight justices would most likely be called as witnesses. Without question, Justice Cheryl Johnson would be a key witness for the TCJC.
Capitol Annex then says that one judge is “worried that increased publicity could force U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to launch an investigation into whether or not Michael Richard’s’ civil rights were violated–further exposing the court and the justices to a level of public examination they are unaccustomed to.”
Perhaps it is time for someone to ask the Public Integrity Unit of the Travis County District Attorney’s Office to look in to Keller’s actions as well.
