Bogley

[Glockguy]

Hunters Target Judge
Her views on sport trigger ouster effort via Internet
By Geoffrey Fattah
Deseret Morning News

Utah deer hunters have a new target in their sights: 3rd District Judge Leslie Lewis.
Leslie Lewis Members of the hunting community have started a grass-roots campaign to oust Lewis after she ordered that a defendant's brother be arrested for expressing displeasure with her views on hunting during a hearing last February.
Opponents have launched a Web site, www.firejudgelewis.com, that contains a link to the in-court video of the February episode, which has been posted on the Web site YouTube. The posting is one of the first instances of Internet campaigning being used in a judicial election in Utah.
"She thinks she's God in her courtroom," said hunting advocate Tony Abbott, who hosts The Big Outdoors, a local radio show on KFAN AM1320. Abbott said he has no ties to the court case but is just expressing his personal views. He said Lewis' lecture has angered some people who believe she should be voted off the bench during next month's judicial-retention election.
Lewis is among 24 district-court judges up for retention election this time around. She has caused controversy in the past for her occasional verbal outbursts. She is also the only district-court judge up for retention who received a sub-standard score in two areas of a recent survey by attorneys who appear in her court.
According to the survey of 123 attorneys, 60 percent found Lewis' behavior "free from bias and favoritism." Only 54 percent of the attorneys approved of how she "perceives legal and factual issues." Under standards set by the Utah Judicial Council, judges should pass with 70 percent approval or greater. Lewis has countered that under state law, she passed the review by receiving at least 70 percent approval on 75 percent of the 15 questions in the questionnaire.
The hunting-community controversy stems from a February hearing on a third-degree felony count of wanton destruction of protected wildlife filed against Michael Jacobson. In the hearing, Lewis was recusing herself from the case because of her personal bias against deer hunting.
While expressing her views, Lewis confronted Jacobson with questions of how he feels while shooting a deer. Jacobson's brother, Kent Jacobson, stood up to leave the courtroom. Lewis ordered a bailiff to bring him back into the courtroom.
"Now, why did you feel the need to make such an explosive and clear indication of your displeasure or boredom at being here?" Lewis asked.
Kent Jacobson responded: "OK, it's not just the displeasure of being bored here. The problem is, is we have just as much rights of going out and shooting deer as you have the right ..." He was then cut off by Lewis.
"What are you talking about?" she injected, and then ordered that he be arrested and sent to a holding cell.
Court records show Lewis recused herself and sent the case to Judge Dino Himonas, who ordered Michael Jacobson to pay $2,500 in restitution and to give up his hunting rights for two years.
In a statement released Wednesday, Lewis said she was constrained by the Code of Judicial Ethics from debating or commenting on the matter.
"It's my obligation as a judge handling a criminal calendar to maintain control over my courtroom," Lewis stated. She also points out that she has been certified by the Judicial Council as fit to stand for re-election.
Abbott said he planned to dedicate his call-in show Wednesday evening to discussing Lewis' actions. He declined to identify the people behind the creation of the anti-Lewis Web site.
If voted out, Lewis would become only the second district-court judge to be removed from the bench by voters. In 2002, Judge David Young was ousted by a 53 percent vote after a public campaign was waged to unseat him over accusations of leniency and bias involving sex offenders and DUI offenders.

http://www.firejudgelewis.com/

[BrainDamage]

So you know where this is at? I went to the web site and read all of the articles but could not find out the location?

[Glockguy]

Her name is Judge Leslie Lewis of the 3rd District.

[shagster]

I saw this on the news last night, but I don't recall where it was at. To me it seemed like the Judge was out of line. The guy didn't even do anything. I would probably have got up and walked out too. I think the Judge was on some sort of power struggle?

[Reedus]

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_4560738

Here is the latest on this power hungry chick

[offpiste]

She needs to be voted off the bench whoever is in district 3.

[chickenlicken]

UNBELIEVABLE!! She should move to california!

[nosivad_bor]

i feel like moving to her district just so i can vote her out...

[James_B_Wads2000]

I don't see it as a hunter rights issue. Lord knows I have no love for guns and for the most part hunters (bow hunters or backcountry hunters are true hunters). I see it as a incompetent judge preaching from the bench. The term "activist judge" gets thrown around a lot by the right about judges that apply the law against the party line.

But this lady is an "activist judge" because she is clearly letting her personal views conduct her emotions and actions in the court. If she wanted to excuse herself from the case she should have done so with out lecturing the defendant. If she felt the brother was disturbing the court she should have charged him so without the Q&A.

Oh and by the way she has the lowest attorney survey score out of any judge running for reelection.


James

[Reedus]

and the strikes continue to fly against Lewis

http://www.sltrib.com/ci_4578414

[James_B_Wads2000]

Reedus wrote: and the strikes continue to fly against Lewis

Judge Lewis is a Doorknob

Man, any one else have problems with the sl trib website not loading on their web browser correctly? I have run into mulitiple computers where I have this problem.

James

[stefan]

hmm, it loaded okay for me ... what happens for you?

[James_B_Wads2000]

stefan wrote: hmm, it loaded okay for me ... what happens for you?

All I get is one column on the left side that has: Home, News, Contents,Past Editions, ect. That plus the search box and nothing else but a white page. And it says Done, but with errors on page. The site works fine from home, here at work is sucks and at my old job.

James

[Sombeech]

ha ha

[Iceaxe]

Lewis is OUT!!!!! Yeehaw!!!!!

:banana: