KEYE had a good report on last night’s protest at the home of unethical judge Sharon Keller. About 1200 people have signed the judicial complaint against Keller. Sign it here.

Click here for the video.

Outside the Austin home of a powerful state judge, protestors showed up this Tuesday evening to file an unusual appeal.

Scott Cobb, protestor: “She should be removed from office.”

They are pleading for the ouster of Judge Sharon Keller, who presides over the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals. Last month, as convicted murderer Michael Richard was headed to the execution chamber, his attorneys filed a last minute appeal asking Keller’s court to hold off on the execution while the Supreme Court considers the whole issue of lethal injection.

As the story goes, their paperwork was delayed by a problematic printer, and when they asked for more time, the judge reportedly told them the Court of Appeals closes at 5. Hours later, Richard was put to death.

Cobb: “They had a little technical snafu and it shouldn’t have impacted whether this person lived or died.”

So demonstrators are determined to literally bring home the message that they want Keller out. But staking out her house, one neighbor says, is a little extreme no matter how impassioned they are about their cause.

Rich Lampert, neighbor: “If it’s work-related, leave it in the workplace. I think they’ve crossed the line.”

But those who came with placards in hand insist that, like the judge, they have 9-to-5 jobs requiring that they track her down after work.

The Fort Worth Star-Telegram is joining in the criticism of Sharon Keller.

During Presiding Judge Sharon Keller’s tenure, the Texas Court of Criminal Appeals has been derided for seeing no harm when lawyers commit obvious errors. In its zeal to uphold convictions come what may, the court has been scolded by the U.S. Supreme Court for not following precedent.

But for sheer myopia, it’s hard to top Keller’s refusal to keep the court open long enough to accept an emergency appeal from a Death Row inmate about to be executed.

Even Keller’s fellow judges were dumbfounded by her rigidity.

and

Computer problems delayed printing of the materials, so the attorneys asked the appeals court to let them file 20 minutes after the regular 5 p.m. closing time. Keller refused.

She did it without consulting Judge Cheryl Johnson, who was assigned Richards’ case and who told the Austin American-Statesman that she would have accepted a last-minute filing, given that it was a death penalty case.

Keller did it without consulting Judge Paul Womack, who told the Houston Chronicle that he stayed at the courthouse until 7 p.m. anticipating a last-minute filing, given the Supreme Court’s action and the importance of the issue.

She did it even though courts often allow after-hours petitions under atypical circumstances. The Texas Supreme Court, which handles civil appeals, has stayed open for urgent filings in parental notification cases, a spokesman said.

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Visit the website of Possumhead to learn more about the band and listen to their other songs. Jennifer Mattingly is an Austin attorney who wrote the song “Sharon Killer”. She recorded it with her band Possumhead.

Click here to sign the judicial complaint against Judge Sharon Keller. Jennifer has already signed it.

Jennifer Mattingly: Vocals and Guitar

Craig Matthews: Bass Guitar and Harmonica

Monte Mann: Guitar, Keyboards, Drum Programming

Produced by Monte Mann and Jennifer Mattingly at Curlyhead Recording Studio Austin, Texas

Words and Music by Jennifer Mattingly © 2003, 2004, 2005