Brevard County Judge Removed From Bench. What Happens When Those In Authority Taint An Entire System

Character makes the difference between those who will not abuse their authority, and those who act like street fighters, bullies, or are criminally minded. The way one behaves in a negative situation, with self-control, is a quality of a good person and a good leader.

People have problems.  They have bad days.  They go through stressful situations.  When they hold positions of power, they cannot allow problems or stress to cause them to do the wrong things.  They cannot abuse their authority because of personal problems or stress.  They must be above reproach.

Super humans?  In a way, yes.  When people are placed in positions of authority to do super things, the public expects them to always be professional and have the interests of the people they serve as priority.

Just imagine someone who lacks self-control telling others what they should or must do and having the authority to punish or retaliate when people don’t obey them.

There must be millions of people who have completed their educational goals and did everything just right, but they don’t have what it takes to handle authority.   When I say authority, I’m thinking about those positions where the lives of others can be ruined by a stroke of the pen, or the pulling of a trigger, or when signing Executive Orders.

Have You Heard of Former Las Vegas Justice of the Peace Conrad Hafen?

Conrad Hafen

Conrad Hafen was raised in Roy, Utah.  He served a mission for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints, then attended Weber State University where he graduated in 1983 with a Bachelor of Science in Political Science.  He was accepted into Brigham Young University’s Public Administration Masters Program.  In 1985, he enrolled in the University of Idaho School of Law, graduating in 1988.

After law clerking and working as an associate attorney with a private law firm concentrating in insurance defense and products liability, Conrad Hafen accepted a position with the Humboldt County Nevada District Attorney’s Office.  Within several months, he was promoted to Chief Deputy District Attorney and served in that capacity for 10 years.

Hafen lost a race for district judge in 2006, and when the Las Vegas Justice Court Department was looking for a judge for one of its specialty courts, Hafen threw his hat in the ring.  During his campaign, Hafen said, “When people come before me … they’ll know my decision is based on the law and is a fair and just resolution.”

Saying what citizens want to hear, in 2010, Hafen was elected as a Justice of the peace in Nevada.  Those judges hear misdemeanor cases and hold preliminary hearings to determine if there is enough evidence to move felony cases to state courts for trial.

Hafen’s career in the Nevada judicial system has now involuntarily ended and he is back in Utah.  This is how it happened …

Deputy Public Defender Zohra Bakhtary

Zohra Bakhtary is a deputy public defender, and while advocating for one of her clients, Judge Hafen did not want her to speak.  He had Bakhtary handcuffed and seated with inmates who were awaiting their hearings.  After Hafen sentenced Bakhtary’s client, Daniel Fernandez, to six months in jail, he had court security remove her handcuffs and said, “I think she’s learned a lesson.”

District Judge Rob Bare released Fernandez and the petty theft conviction was later thrown out after a ruling that Fernandez was deprived of assistance of a lawyer when he was sentenced.

Pa. Judge Sentenced To 28 Years For Selling Black Teens To Prison

Maybe he should have been sold into slavery to another country so he can see how it feels to be powerless.

Swat team moves in as retired Judge shoots at Police officers

Hello everyone.  Santiago here.  I woke up this morning to take my wife to LAX as she is on her way to New York for a couple of days. On my way home a bizarre story came on the radio about an incident that took place on Wednesday involving a retired Judge who called 911 to report that there were armed people in his house.

As police arrived, it appears they were able to peek through the window of the house and saw 75-year old, retired judge and former prosecutor James Bascue, seated on a chair with two guns in his lap.

Retired Judge James Bascue pictured here in 1995.

Officers noticed Mr. Bascue picking up the guns then pointing one of the guns to his head.  Officers began to plea with the former judge asking him to drop the weapons. Bascue fired a shot inside of his home and shot out a glass door with the bullet nearly hitting one of the responding officers.  It was at that moment SWAT was called in.

After several attempts to talk Bascue down with friends and family members, it was finally a neighbor who convinced Bascue to drop his guns and come outside.  Although he had fired on police officers, Bascue was taken alive,  arrested on assault with a deadly weapon and held on $100,000 bail.

Senate Confirms First-Ever Native American Woman As Federal Judge

Congratulations to the Honorable Diane Humetewa!

The Fifth Column

The Senate confirmed Diane Humetewa to the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona, making her the first-ever Native American woman to serve on the federal bench. | Arizona State University

Am I happy the Senate finally confirmed a Native American  Judge?  Indeed I am.  I just have one more thing to say: It’s about damn time…

The Huffington Post

The Senate quietly made history on Wednesday night when it confirmed Diane Humetewa as a federal judge — the first Native American woman to ever hold such a post.

Humetewa was confirmed 96-0 to serve on the U.S. District Court for the District of Arizona. She is a former U.S. attorney in Arizona and a member of the Hopi tribe. She is now the first active member of a Native American tribe to serve on the federal bench and only the third Native American in history to do so.

View original post 176 more words