A US judge has been reprimanded over comments she made to a defendant that implied he would be raped in prison.
Last year, Judge Virginia Amato oversaw the arraignment of a man charged with resisting arrest and misdemeanour domestic-violence assault when she was quoted as saying he was ‘setting himself up to be Bubba’s new best girlfriend at the state penitentiary’.
Bubba is a North American slang term for 'brother'.
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She reportedly added: “That may hopefully give you a graphic image to think about … And if you think I’m kidding, I’m not.”
The Seattle Times notes that Amato would not have actually been able to send the man - who indicated that he understood what Amato was implying - to prison as he had no felony convictions.
Amato allegedly also told him: “The folks at the penitentiary have mothers and sisters and nieces and cousins that they do not want someone out there abusing.
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"And they will take that out on you, at the penitentiary. So think about that because you’re racking up felonies at this point.”
A confidential complaint was filed with the Commission on Judicial Conduct in October and in December Amato was served with a statement of allegations.
The Seattle Times reports that Amato acknowledge her comments violated the Code of Judicial Conduct but insisted: “While insensitive and thoughtless, [my comments] were not motivated by bias or ill-will toward the defendant.”
The judge added that she hoped her comments would ‘impress on him that he needed to change his behaviour’.
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The commission found that Amato was in violation of rules that are in place to ensure judges ‘uphold the integrity of the judiciary by avoiding impropriety or the appearance of impropriety and to maintain appropriate courtroom decorum’.
The order stated: “The seriousness of the charges and their potential consequences could and should have been communicated by the judge without implying that a defendant may be raped in prison if he continued his unlawful behaviour.”
It continued: “The words and images chosen were improper, discourteous and unbecoming a judicial officer. They were degrading to the defendant and other incarcerated people, playing on stereotypes and exploiting fears of the criminal justice system.”
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Amato received an official admonishment from the commission, which is the ‘least severe’ measure of discipline that can be issued, according to MailOnline.
UNILAD has approached the Commission of Judicial Conduct for comment.
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Aisha Nozari