American Bar Association President Mary Smith says ABA?members “are saddened and distraught at the murder Thursday of Washington County, Maryland, Circuit Court Judge Andrew Wilkinson in his driveway by what law enforcement believes was a targeted attack after the judge granted custody of the suspect's children to their mother.
“We are angered at yet another attack on a jurist for doing the job they swore to do,” Smith said in her statement issued on Friday. “Threats against the judiciary have increased more than fivefold in the past decade, and it needs to stop. These assaults are attacks on the rule of law.”
Smith said judges “must be able to decide matters that come before them without fear of reprisal or physical harm to themselves or their families. If they cannot, an essential element of our democracy will be lost.
“Courts and our justice system need to be open and transparent, but judges cannot be made targets for any disgruntled person with a grievance. The violence against our judges must stop and their protection must become a priority.”
––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
http://legalnews.com/subscriptions
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available
––––––––––––––––––––
Subscribe to the Legal News!
http://legalnews.com/Home/Subscription
Full access to public notices, articles, columns, archives, statistics, calendar and more
Day Pass Only $4.95!
One-County $80/year
Three-County & Full Pass also available
