AL Judge Wears 10 Commandments on Robe

[Spaceman Spiff 0]

Article on Yahoo

 

MONTGOMERY, Ala. - A judge refused to delay a trial Tuesday when an attorney objected to his wearing a judicial robe with the Ten Commandments embroidered on the front in gold.

 

Circuit Judge Ashley McKathan showed up Monday at his Covington County courtroom in southern Alabama wearing the robe. Attorneys who try cases at the courthouse said they had not seen him wearing it before. The commandments were described as being big enough to read by anyone near the judge.

 

Attorney Riley Powell, defending a client charged with DUI, filed a motion objecting to the robe and asking that the case be continued. He said McKathan denied both motions.

 

"I feel this creates a distraction that affects my client," Powell said.

 

McKathan told The Associated Press that he believes the Ten Commandments represent the truth "and you can't divorce the law from the truth. ... The Ten Commandments can help a judge know the difference between right and wrong."

 

He said he doesn't believe the commandments on his robe would have an adverse effect on jurors.

 

"I had a choice of several sizes of letters. I purposely chose a size that would not be in anybody's face," he said.

 

The case raised comparisons to former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who was removed from office in 2003 for refusing to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the rotunda of the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery.

 

Moore said Tuesday he supports McKathan's decision to wear the Ten Commandments robe.

 

"I applaud Judge McKathan. It is time for our judiciary to recognize the moral basis of our law," Moore said.

 

Powell said if he loses his case, he expects the judge's wearing of the Ten Commandments robe to be part of an appeal.

 

Yeah, I can't see this going on for too much longer.

[Guest Loss]

He has the right to freedom of religious expression. It works both ways. It's legally no different than wearing a necklace bearing a cross, which I'm sure happens all the time.

 

I think it's unprofessional and that he should choose not to wear it, but that's a matter of personal opinion. There's no need for intervention of any type.

[Kahran Ramsus 0]

Judges should be impartial. It drives me insane when they let their political or religious (or lack of) beliefs affect their ability to preside over court.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

Our laws are based on the punishment of people for idol worship..

 

We're coming for you calf-worshippers!

[Big Ol' Smitty 0]

I'm really coveting a peanut butter sandwich right about now.

[2GOLD 0]

It doesn't help him that Roy Moore is in his corner. Add in Jerry Falwell and Pat Robertson and he might need to take the thing off just to feel clean.

 

Our laws are based on the punishment of people for idol worship..

 

We're coming for you calf-worshippers!

 

You think you can take Pan?

Well go ahead on....it's your move.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

I don't see the big deal with this at all. It's badass, I imagine him stunnering some folks who ask him nicely with all this legal jargon to take off the robe.

 

I haven't watched wrestling in a long time obviously, when Austin is the only hero that comes to mind.

[Special K 0]

That's taking it quite a bit too far.... He's there as a public servant.

 

Christopher Daniels totally needs one of those, though.

[Rob E Dangerously 0]

Yeah.. what if the Warrior was a judge.. imagine what his robes would be like

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

So does this mean judges can sell advertising space on their robes?

[NoCalMike 0]

So is it only a matter of time until all the bible-belt folk come out to hold candle-light vigils in his honor?

 

I guess the guy is gonna let the defendent go free as long as he accepts christ into his heart. J/K.

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

Maybe judges in the South can wear NASCAR team-themed robes

 

bailiff: All rise. Presented by NEXTEL, the honorable Roy Moore presiding.

[Guest sek69]

I would mark if the lawyers would give post-trial interviews like NASCAR racers. I can just picture it...

 

Reporter: What's your thoughts on today's proceedings?

 

Lawyer: Well we thought the Bud Light Lowe's Air Force Nextel Legal Team had a good case going into trial today, we had a good practice but we just couldn't get it going today.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Then it's only fitting that plaintiffs whose lawsuits are thrown out for being frivolous are forcibly crashed into concrete walls at high speeds.

[kkktookmybabyaway 0]

So does this mean judges can sell advertising space on their robes?

If that will be the case, then those orange jump suites should have ads on them, too...

[Guest Cerebus]

Nothing that this guy said makes any sense.

 

McKathan told The Associated Press that he believes the Ten Commandments represent the truth "and you can't divorce the law from the truth. ... The Ten Commandments can help a judge know the difference between right and wrong."

 

So do I. I don't embroid it on my suit when I go to work though you fucktard. My priest tells me that bookmarking the page in the Bible I keep at my desk is just as efective to looking up the Ten Commandments as stitching it on my clothes.

 

I know you have a Bible in your court room to swear in witnesses. Why not use that instead?

 

Moron.

[Your Paragon of Virtue 0]

So is it only a matter of time until all the bible-belt folk come out to hold candle-light vigils in his honor?

 

I guess the guy is gonna let the defendent go free as long as he accepts christ into his heart. J/K.

I believe that a conservative Christian judge would go harder on a criminal then any non-Christian lib one would.

[Guest Cerebus]

What about a scientologist libertarian one?

[The Czech Republic 0]

So does this mean judges can sell advertising space on their robes?

If that will be the case, then those orange jump suites should have ads on them, too...

"Prisoner #2488486 Presented By The Home Depot" might be just the thing to lower our skyrocketing prison costs.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

He has the right to freedom of religious expression. It works both ways. It's legally no different than wearing a necklace bearing a cross, which I'm sure happens all the time.

 

I think it's unprofessional and that he should choose not to wear it, but that's a matter of personal opinion. There's no need for intervention of any type.

Judges... Not so much. They have rights, but their job has standards that they are to adhere to.

 

It really all depends on the context. Keep in mind that Moore's monument was A-Okay when he said that it represented the foundations of law & order and promised that the monument would someday be joined with recreations of the Magna Carta and other historical icons of law.

 

That never happened, his tune changed to the monument being "a symbol that we are Christian nation," and it had to go because it was a religious statement, and not the reflection of law & order that he originally provided.

[Justice 0]

You know, it'd be really badass to do this with the Bill of Rights and the Constitution being embroidered all across the robe. At least, as long as we are on style tips right now.

[Guest SP-1]

Awesome.

[The Czech Republic 0]

Personally, if I was a judge, I'd have the Ten Commandments posted too.

[Jobber of the Week 0]

Yes, because it's clearly the time and place to loudly state your religious beliefs.

[Guest DubWiser]

Yes, because it's clearly the time and place to loudly state your religious beliefs.

 

Easy there...

 

If the courtroom (where real, tangible lives hang in the balance) isn't the perfect place to proudly display antiquated remnants of retarded magical thinking...I don't know what is.

[Guest SP-1]

Yes, because it's clearly the time and place to loudly state your religious beliefs.

 

Easy there...

 

If the courtroom (where real, tangible lives hang in the balance) isn't the perfect place to proudly display antiquated remnants of retarded magical thinking...I don't know what is.

Elaborate. Define "magical".

[Jobber of the Week 0]

I think the word he was looking for was "supernatural."

[Hogan Made Wrestling 0]

I think the word he was looking for was "supernatural."

But those are real! I mean, Indy found them in Egypt and everything!

[Guest SP-1]

Indy found "Supernaturals", eh? Interesting.

[TheBigSwigg 0]

Yes, because it's clearly the time and place to loudly state your religious beliefs.

 

Easy there...

 

If the courtroom (where real, tangible lives hang in the balance) isn't the perfect place to proudly display antiquated remnants of retarded magical thinking...I don't know what is.

Elaborate. Define "magical".

I believe "Magical" would qualify as the brownies that DubWiser had for breakfast.