« Ind. Decisions - Costs assessed in Hawkins/Broyles disciplinary cases | Main | Ind. Courts - "Time might not be on Delaware County Prosecutor Mark McKinney's side" »
Thursday, August 27, 2009
Ind. Courts - Anonymous letter causes Knox County judge to step down from case
Jenny Peter of the Vincennes Sun-Commercial has a lengthy report re Knox County Superior Court Judge Tim Crowley's decision. Some quotes:
Judge Tim Crowley announced has removed himself from the ongoing case between the city and the owners of the Executive Inn.Crowley says he is choosing to “disqualify and recuse” himself from the case because of a letter circulated by mail on or around Aug. 20 that Crowley called a “vicious and defamatory attack” on him.
The Sun-Commercial did receive a copy of the letter, which was unsigned and had no return address.
The page-long letter jumps back and forth between harshly criticizing the city’s elected officials, although none are named specifically, and Crowley. The writer accuses the city of wanting to seize the hotel for its own monetary gain and accuses Crowley of, among other things, helping the city in its task.
Mayor Al Baldwin has publicly denied such allegations.
John Bodine, the attorney for the hotel’s owners, James and Mark Valdes, said neither he nor his clients had anything to do with the writing or sending of the letter.
“This is a travesty,” Bodine said. “Whoever issued that letter, the act was shameful, and I think Judge Crowley had every reason to be upset.”
“Certainly (the letter) did not come from any of our people,” he said. “I think it’s a shame, and I’ve actually been directed by my clients to ask the judge to reconsider his action and to remain the presiding judge.”
Crowley said he thought the letter undermined his efforts in the case and made unnecessary and untrue personal attacks.
“This anonymous mailing attacked the sitting judge on a personal and professional level and maliciously and deliberately sought to damage the judge’s name and reputation,” he writes.
Posted by Marcia Oddi on August 27, 2009 08:43 AM
Posted to Indiana Courts