Judiciary
Decide who pointed AR-15 at officer avoids ethics case with resignation
Former Chief Justice of the Peace Decide Gerald W. Johnson of Habersham County, Georgia, resigned in January. Picture from Shutterstock.
A Georgia Justice of the Peace choose who admitted pointing an AR-15 rifle at a sheriff’s officer has ended the ethics case in opposition to him by resigning, in accordance with the Georgia Supreme Courtroom.
Former Chief Justice of the Peace Decide Gerald W. Johnson of Habersham County, Georgia, resigned in January shortly after a listening to panel of the Georgia Judicial {Qualifications} Fee beneficial his elimination.
In an Aug. 16 decision, the Georgia Supreme Courtroom mentioned it was dismissing the ethics case.
“Elimination from workplace is the one sanction the JQC seeks, and we can not take away a former choose from an workplace he not holds,” the state supreme courtroom mentioned.
Law360 and Law.com coated the choice.
The incident occurred in October 2021. The Habersham County sheriff’s workplace had obtained a name about a number of gunshots within the space the place Johnson lived. A lieutenant from the workplace knew Johnson and went to his residence to inquire whether or not he knew something concerning the gunshots.
Johnson opened the door and held a loaded AR-15 to the top of the officer, who fled to his patrol automobile, in accordance with ethics allegations admitted by Johnson. Johnson dropped the gun and went to talk with the officer. In line with the Georgia Supreme Courtroom, Johnson was “indignant, visibly intoxicated, unstable on his ft and spoke with slurred speech.”
Johnson requested the lieutenant to show off his recording gadget, however the officer refused. Johnson admitted to the officer that he had fired the AR-15 from his porch that night whereas intoxicated.
Johnson later instructed an investigator that his recollections of the day have been blurred by heavy ingesting. He did do not forget that his spouse’s “chatter” prompted him to snap and fireplace a number of rounds into the bottom from his porch.
The Georgia Judicial {Qualifications} Fee had additionally alleged that Johnson held a gun to his head and had damaged the windshield of his spouse’s automobile. He was suspended from the bench with pay lower than two weeks after the incident.
In his resignation letter, Johnson mentioned he has been “cooperative, forthright and sincere” for the reason that incident. He additionally mentioned he’s engaged on his restoration from a post-traumatic stress dysfunction and an alcohol use dysfunction.
“My restoration is profitable and persevering with,” he wrote.
Johnson had alleged that the listening to panel made errors in its findings and conclusions. The Georgia Supreme Courtroom didn’t handle his arguments as a result of his resignation made the case moot.
The state supreme courtroom mentioned the Georgia Judicial {Qualifications} Fee might reinstate the ethics fees in opposition to Johnson if he turns into a choose or a judicial candidate sooner or later.
