Never Forget: Leniency is for the Corrupt and Powerful

by Will

Will Grigg?s Liberty Minute

April 5, 2012

During his two years as a Criminal Court Judge in Knoxville, Tennessee, Richard Baumgartner presided over an estimated 1,000 cases and sent hundreds of people to prison.

Deena Castleman was convicted of drug offenses in Baumgartner?s court. She was also one of several convicts who supplied narcotics to the judge, who had a long and secret history of alcohol and drug addiction. Castleman, who was half the married judge?s age, would also provide sexual favors to the judge during breaks between court sessions.

In March 2011, Baumgartner resigned from the bench and pleaded guilty to a single charge of judicial misconduct. The sentence imposed by Special Judge Jon Kerry Attwood  included no jail time, and the felony conviction will be wiped clean of the former judge?s record if he doesn?t re-offend. This permitted Baumgartner to retain his pension.

Court employees had complained that Baumgartner ? in addition to being crude and unprofessional ? was frequently unable to function. Scores of convictions he handed down ? including one involving the sexual torture and murder of a young couple ? may be thrown out or re-tried.

Official perversion of justice is among the most serious crimes imaginable ? but Judge Baumgartner was protected by the leniency that our system extends only to the corrupt and powerful.

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