Court of Judiciary removes Roy Moore from Supreme Court
The Alabama Court of the Judiciary today ordered that Roy Moore be removed from his position as chief justice of the Supreme Court of Alabama. The court unanimously found that Moore "willfully and publicly" defied a federal court order directed to him.
In August Moore was suspended from his position as Alabama's Chief Supreme Court Justice after refusing a federal court order to remove a Ten Commandments monument from public view at the state judicial building. Moore was charged with violating the Alabama Canons of Judicial Ethics for refusing the order.
On Wednesday the court heard testimony from Moore and Attorney General Bill Pryor. Moore testified that he followed his conscience and did nothing to violate judicial ethics.
In closing arguments, Assistant Attorney General John Gibbs said Moore's public refusal to obey a court order "undercuts the entire workings of the judicial system."
-- al.com staff and Associated Press reports