Complaint filed against Texas judge over 'get married or go to jail' order

[Little Tich]

Source: Yahoo! News / Reuters

TEXARKANA, Texas (Reuters) - A misconduct complaint has been filed against an East Texas judge for giving a man who pleaded guilty to assault a choice of going to jail or getting married and ordering him to write Bible verses, officials said on Monday.

The Freedom from Religion Foundation filed the complaint with the Texas State Commission on Judicial Conduct on Friday, seeking to disbar Smith County Court-at-Law Judge Randall Rogers.

The judge last month gave Josten Bundy, 21, a choice of marrying his girlfriend Elizabeth Jaynes, 19, and being released on probation or spending 15 days in jail after he pleaded guilty to misdemeanor assault. Bundy, who had gotten into a fight with Jaynes's former boyfriend, chose to get married.

The judge also ordered Bundy to write Bible verses and attend counseling, according to a transcript of the proceedings obtained by broadcaster KLTV in Tyler, Texas.

Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/complaint-filed-against-texas-judge-over-married-jail-222740549.html

[niyad]

1. geez, for a second there, I was afraid that the judge had ordered him to marry the person

he assaulted. but . . .REALLLLY, judge???? what in the nine circles of hell is wrong with you?

[KT2000]

2. Thank you Freedom from Religion

that ruling was awful but then it looked like no one would challenge it. The bride and groom were showing off their marriage license so they weren't going to do anything.

[Towlie]

3. I call that "Playing King Solomon."

And I believe it was the intent of the prohibition of unusual punishments in the Eighth Amendment to prevent just that.

[Gothmog]

4. Good

[valerief]

5. Insane judge. Friggin' insane. nt

[christx30]

6. And people wonder where the contempt for the court system comes from. n/t

[rpannier]

7. Write Bible verses>

Why? Because he didn't handle himself in the Biblical Old Testament way or something?