Judge Jack Robison apologized to jurors for the interruption, but defended his actions by telling them "when God tells me I gotta do something, I gotta do it," according to the Herald-Zeitung in New Braunfels.
The jury went against the judge's wishes, finding Gloria Romero-Perez guilty of continuous trafficking of a person and later sentenced her to 25 years in prison. They found her not guilty of a separate charge of sale or purchase of a child.
Robison, who also presides in Hays and Caldwell counties, did not respond to a message left with his court coordinator, Steve Thomas, who said the case is still pending. Robison is scheduled to return to the bench in Comal County on Jan. 31.
The Herald-Zeitung reported that Robison recused himself before the trial's sentencing phase and was replaced by Judge Gary Steele. The defendant's attorney asked for a mistrial, but was denied.
Robison's actions could trigger an investigation from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, which has disciplined Robison in the past.
In 2011, the commission slapped Robison with a private reprimand for improperly jailing a Caldwell County grandfather who had called him a fool for a ruling Robison made in a child custody case involving the man's granddaughter.
The reprimand, the commission's harshest form of rebuke, said Robison "exceeded the scope of his authority and failed to comply with the law" by jailing the man for contempt of court without a hearing or advance notice of the charge.
The act of intervening in a jury's deliberations is not addressed in the state's list of judicial canons, which serves as an ethical code for judges. However, it states judges shall "comply with the law and should act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary."
Eric Vinson, executive director for the commission, said he would not be able to confirm or deny if a complaint had been filed against Robison.
Reader Comments
Just joking, seems perfect for the job, for the times. Need more of 'em, really. I mean, who can complain with such quality investigative faculties available which help protect the most vulnerable amongst us from manipulation, abuse and harm...
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Fraud Upon the Court is where the Judge (who is NOT the "Court") does NOT support or uphold the Judicial Machinery of the Court. The Court is an unbiased, but methodical "creature" which is governed by the Rule of Law... that is, the Rules of Civil Procedure, the Rules of Criminal Procedure and the Rules of Evidence, all which is overseen by Constitutional law
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The flags displayed in State courts and courts of the United States have gold or yellow fringes. That is your WARNING that you are entering into a foreign enclave, the same as if you are stepping into a foreign embassy and you will be under the jurisdiction of that flag. The flag with the gold or yellow fringe has no constitution, no laws, and no rules of court, and is not recognized by any nation on the earth, and is foreign to you and the United States of America.
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This is the product of a dumbed-down educational system that promotes indoctrination and compliance above rational thought and logical analysis, from the age of three years old onwards.
You have a culture in which someone's opinion - without any shred of evidence or logic to support it - is regarded as equally valid as the opinion of someone who can back up their views with facts and material proof.
If you live in Europe or anywhere else for that matter, you may find it hard to believe, that over a hundred million people in America regard their "opinion" as absolutely valid fact, upon which people can be exterminated by the millions, or the USA taken into wars of destruction against other nations which never even expressed hostility towards the USA, merely on the basis of American mass "opinion." ... "I believe it, therefore it is true."
America is the most dangerous nation that has ever existed in recorded history.