Wino Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 This judge abused his power and will pay for his crimes. I wonder though, if his idea of paddling for a lesser jail sentence was an innovative idea and a crime deterrent? I am sure he did it to get his rocks off but isn’t caning a similar idea? What do you think? By PHILLIP RAWLS, Associated Press Writer Phillip Rawls, Associated Press Writer – Wed Oct 21, 6:23 pm ET MOBILE, Ala. – Kidnapping and extortion charges against a former Alabama judge were dismissed Wednesday, but a jury will deliberate the remaining felony counts accusing him of paddling and sexually abusing male inmates in return for leniency. Circuit Judge Claud Neilson said jurors would hear closing arguments in the pared-down case against former Mobile Circuit Judge Herman Thomas on Thursday morning and begin deliberating later in the day. Thomas, 48, was a community leader in Mobile, serving as a judge for 17 years, a trustee of two universities and an organizer of mentoring programs for youth. He resigned in 2007 when allegations surfaced that he spanked defendants with a wooden paddle. Then earlier this year a grand jury indicted him on charges that he physically and sexually abusing young male defendants in return for help with their cases. He originally faced 103 charges involving 15 young men, but prosecutors dropped four of the men's cases during the trial, and the judge threw out all ethics charges against him because the statute of limitations expired. On Wednesday, the judge dismissed kidnapping charges, saying accusations that Thomas took young men to a private courthouse office for paddlings didn't constitute kidnapping. "I don't think kidnapping occurred in the Mobile County courthouse in a room that is unlocked," he said. Neilson also threw out the extortion charges accusing Thomas of securing sexual favors from inmates in return for leniency. He said Alabama's law involves taking things of value permanently or for a long period, and taking sexual favors doesn't fit the definition of the law. "How do you deprive someone permanently of sexual favors?" he asked prosecutors. Defense attorney Jeff Deen said he was pleased that four-fifths of the original charges had been dismissed or thrown out, and only 21 charges remained. Chief Assistant District Attorney Nicki Patterson said the jury would still consider very serious charges of assault, sexual abuse, attempted sodomy and sodomy. The last charge is the most serious and carries a sentence of 10 years to life in prison. Thomas did not testify in his own defense during the trial. Defense attorney Robert "Cowboy Bob" Clark said there was no need because of the lack of credibility of Thomas' 11 accusers. "They were a bunch of felonious liars," Clark said. Instead of Thomas defending himself, the defense team spent two days presenting a Roman Catholic archbishop, two school principals, a kindergarten teacher and a coach who described how Thomas spent many hours speaking to school groups and mentoring young people, particularly those in trouble. "What else do you want? You want the pope?" Clark told reporters outside the courtroom. http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091021/ap_on_re_us/us_judge_inmate_sex;_ylt=Ah0ykYCN_t2zAVZBuytoLWp_fNdF Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WannaGo Posted October 25, 2009 Report Share Posted October 25, 2009 If I was being accused of coercing sex out of vulnerable young boys, I don't know that I would want a Catholic archbishop testifying on my behalf. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted October 26, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 26, 2009 If I was being accused of coercing sex out of vulnerable young boys, I don't know that I would want a Catholic archbishop testifying on my behalf. I think they were young men instead of young boys. I am not sure of the age, but would think it would be a juvenile court instead of curciut court, if they were young boys. When you are in the situation that Judge Herman Thomas is in, you try and find allies wherever you are able. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WannaGo Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 I think they were young men instead of young boys. I suspect we're probably talking late teens, early 20s at the oldest. And an Alabama jury acquitted him, despite this (from the AP): "Some men testified they turned around during the paddlings to see the judge sexually aroused or exposed. One testified the judge made him masturbate, and a forensic scientist reported finding the man's semen on the judge's carpet. Another former inmate said the judge tried to force him to have oral sex." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Beer Chang Posted October 27, 2009 Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 You would think he'd realize that if you d this 15 times you're going to get caught. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted October 27, 2009 Author Report Share Posted October 27, 2009 I bet it was the testimony of the Catholic Archbishop that swayed the jury to acquit, don’t you think? Here is a link if you would like to read more. http://www.sfexaminer.com/nation/66072807.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wino Posted November 4, 2009 Author Report Share Posted November 4, 2009 How can this happen? I don’t think any “tea money†was paid here. The guy is charged with 103 counts, a judge dismisses half of them and a jury acquitted the former judge on the rest. How does the jury explain the evidence of semen on the carpet? All of it sounds very fishy to me. “In a surprise verdict, a jury acquitted former judge Herman Thomas of sexual abuse, attempted sodomy, and assault related to allegations that he brought inmates to his chambers for sex and spankings. The judge insisted that he brought the men to his office to “mentor†them, but prosecutors put forward evidence of semen on the carpet and testimony of numerous former inmates that they had sex with him or allowed him to spank them for lenient treatment†http://jonathanturley.org/2009/10/27/judge-herman-thomas-acquitted/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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