By Armando Hernandez
11 Oct 2023, 18:42 PM EDT
Although the trial of man accused of beating his girlfriend’s son to death, Lincoln County District Judge Traci Soderstrom showed little or no interest and he preferred to take his cell phone.
According to a security video published by The Oklahoman newspaper, While documents and testimony were presented, Soderstrom was captured on her smartphone.
After images emerged showing the judge texting and checking social media while presiding in courtthe judge took action in what she said was an attempt to protect her privacy.
The judge had the court maintenance team remove the cameras from her courtroom. She set them up again, but this time she insisted that her desk be hidden from view.
In the face of scandal, An Oklahoma judicial ethics panel is investigating the judge who can be seen in a courtroom video browsing social media and sending text messages.
Despite this, Taylor Henderson, director of the council, said that its work investigating allegations of misconduct by judges is secret by law and its progress cannot be disseminated.
The trial ended with a second-degree manslaughter conviction for Khristian Tyler Martzall in the 2018 death of Braxton Danker. Prosecutors had asked the jury to find him guilty of first-degree murder.
Calling this performance disappointing, the newspaper published a harsh criticism, noting that “Jurors are prohibited from using cell phones in the courtroom during trials because we expect them to devote all their time and attention to the evidence presented. “I would and do hope that the court will be held to the same standard required of juries, regardless of the type of case.”
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