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Case Summary for Complaint # 782


Name: John Darrah

Title: Judge

Court: King County Superior Court

County: King

Discipline: No Violation. Dismissed

Method of Resolution: Decision

Discipline Date: 11/20/1989

Canons Violated:None

Summary: A King County Superior Court judge was charged with having violated Canons 2(A) and 7(A)(4) when (1) after having received the verdict of the jury in a criminal case involving the execution style killing of a cab driver but before the jury was dismissed, he addressed the jury in open court in the presence of members of the news media, speaking out against the easy availability of hand guns in society such as occurred in the case just concluded, exhorting the jurors to contact their legislators concerning the subject, and urging a change in the law regarding the ownership and possession of handguns; (2) he made similar remarks to representatives of the news media after the court session had concluded. The Commission concluded that the judge's statements, taken as a whole and in the light of the circumstances in which they were given, did not violate Canon 2(A). It also concluded that since the judge did not urge the jurors to take any particular position or pursue any particular legislation or reform, he was not engaging in partisan politics in violation of Canon 7(A)(4). Statement of charges dismissed, with three members of eight dissenting and voting for a reprimand or admonition.

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