Bullying from the Bench: A Wave of High-Profile Bad Behavior has Put Scrutiny on Judges

From the ABA Journal:

Judge John Murphy was presiding over a criminal calendar in Brevard County, Florida, when he grew incensed with public defender Andrew Weinstock, who had refused to waive a client’s right to a speedy trial.

Murphy became so angry that, in one of the most famous judicial outbursts, he challenged Weinstock to a fight.

“You know if I had a rock I would throw it,” Murphy, a retired colonel in the U.S. Army Special Forces who served in Afghanistan, told Weinstock. “If you want to fight, let’s go out back and I’ll just beat your ass.”

The two men then went to the hall, where a fracas ensued. Weinstock would later say he was punched by Murphy, while Murphy would insist that Weinstock was the aggressor. The scuffle only ended after a courthouse deputy separated the two men.

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