Cop Allegedly Sexually Assaults Woman; Arrests Her For Protesting It While Family Court Judge Does Nothing
The judge, Clark County Hearings Master Patricia Doninger, sits by doing nothing -- playing with the woman's child and turning a deaf ear to the woman's claims of sexual assault by the cop, and his subsequent arrest of the woman for making those allegations in court.
At Above The Law, Elie Mystal blogs:
There is a disturbing video making its way around social media today. It's a six-minute Family Court video from August 2011 of a woman who complains that a marshal sexually assaulted her in a back room. The woman becomes increasingly agitated as the marshal, who is in the courtroom, then arrests her for "making false allegations about a police officer," all while the family court magistrate plays with the woman's child, at least until the child begs the arresting officer to not take her momma away.It's really tough to watch. Even I became emotional while watching the clip. And the marshal has since been dismissed. Most of the internet outrage is focused on the cop. Me, I can honestly say that after watching this I wish nothing but the absolute worst for Clark County Hearings Master Patricia Doninger. I think I'd rather see Edith Jones on the Supreme freaking Court than have this person "preside" over a game of Family Feud, much less be within shouting distance of a family court...
The video is safe for work, but again feels more like a snuff film than a courtroom video.
Disgustingly, Doninger still has a job.
via @Instapundit
Rope.
TJIC at June 13, 2013 10:15 AM
While I agree that this incident is just appalling, it's probably not fair to assign quite so much blame to Ms Doninger. She's not a judge of the criminal court - she's a hearings master in family court. An arbitrator. She likely has no authority at all over the court's officers.
That being said, she should of course have immediately sent for somebody who does - an actual judge of the court.
A drug search? In family court hearings? By whose order? Did the court officer just decide that he was going to search her? and if so, on what basis? Does he claim that the search was consensual? What's a court officer even doing in family court? This just reeks. The only way - the ONLY way - that I can see a search being lawful - NB, not the search that was done, but a lawfully-conducted search - is if there was a warrant for the lady and the officer was sent to arrest her. The officer is in street uniform, not dressed for court. But if that were the case, surely we would have heard about it? The 'false allegations' charge is a stone joke - that alone tells you that she is not a criminal court judge.
I don't know how it goes in Clark County, but around here, searches by officers of the opposite gender are limited to on-street Terry patdowns (outside of clothing, for weapons only). All other searches, and ALL custodial searches, are by same-gender officers, and with two in the room if humanly possible. This officer must be insane to expose himself to the potential issues of a one-on-one opposite-gender invasive search. But more-importantly, the court must be crazy if this type of search falls within policy.
If he was fired, he either admitted it, or it's on tape. Hard to know how he can get reinstated after that, unless he claims that the search was somehow within policy.
I can't help but think that there's more to the story than the video shows, but it's still very disturbing.
llater,
llamas
llamas at June 13, 2013 10:33 AM
Actually, since it was the Marshall working for her courtroom, she had all the authority in the world to stop this process. She chose not to. She needs to be removed. Pronto.
Patrick at June 13, 2013 4:33 PM
Wow.. I thought the biggest WTF was right at the end. The Marshall (through his lawyer) saying that his arresting here was just, because no one tried to stop him. Seriously? So as long as the 1 or 2 court officers agree with whatever it is they're doing, it's perfect legal?
If I were her I'd be suing him and the court (likely the city) for false arrest.
Miguelitosd at June 13, 2013 8:10 PM
No matter how many times she sues the city.
They will never fix the damage that was done psychologically to a two year old who watched her mother be arrested and then spent time in a foster system.
Sorry.
Cat at June 14, 2013 8:11 AM
"She likely has no authority at all over the court's officers"
Nonsense. She's the Boss in her courtroom just like a captain is the Boss on his ship. By turning a blind eye, she's like Captain Shittino or whatever his name was who let the Costa Concordia hit a rock and then hopped into a lifeboat and left his passengers to fend for themselves or drown.
Martin at June 14, 2013 10:43 AM
This is horse shit. Whether she is called a judge, a magistrate, or a hearings master, the court room is her domain; where she is basically a legal god.
It is disgusting that she chose to be satan.
Jay at June 14, 2013 11:53 AM
As Instapundit says - tar, feathers or hanging. We really need to start putting these pricks in jail before people like me start going all Brian on them.
Dave B at June 14, 2013 4:10 PM
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