Posted on 12/15/2004 7:34:12 AM PST by FairfaxVA
MONTGOMERY, Ala. - A judge refused to delay a trial Tuesday when an attorney objected to his wearing a judicial robe with the Ten Commandments embroidered on the front in gold.
Circuit Judge Ashley McKathan showed up Monday at his Covington County courtroom in southern Alabama wearing the robe. Attorneys who try cases at the courthouse said they had not seen him wearing it before. The commandments were described as being big enough to read by anyone near the judge. Attorney Riley Powell, defending a client charged with DUI, filed a motion objecting to the robe and asking that the case be continued. He said McKathan denied both motions. "I feel this creates a distraction that affects my client," Powell said.
'Difference Between Right and Wrong'
McKathan told The Associated Press that he believed the Ten Commandments represent the truth, "and you can't divorce the law from the truth. ... The Ten Commandments can help a judge know the difference between right and wrong."
He said he didn't believe the commandments on his robe would have an adverse effect on jurors.
"I had a choice of several sizes of letters. I purposely chose a size that would not be in anybody's face," he said.
The case raised comparisons to former Alabama Chief Justice Roy Moore, who was removed from office in 2003 for refusing to remove a Ten Commandments monument from the rotunda of the Alabama Judicial Building in Montgomery.
'Moral Basis of Our Law'
Moore said Tuesday that he supported McKathan's decision to wear the Ten Commandments robe.
"I applaud Judge McKathan. It is time for our judiciary to recognize the moral basis of our law," Moore said.
Powell said if he lost his case, he expected the judge's wearing of the Ten Commandments robe to be part of an appeal.
Cool. I'm from a little town called Moulton. Close to Decatur that is close to Huntsville.
You could sell videos of the liberal lawyers reactions to that..
I'd buy it..
Sweet! God bless this man!! Heheheheee...
Thanks for the ping!
We use to go through Moulton many years ago when we would go through there, to Hamilton, Fulton, MS, Tupelo, MS where we would hit the Natchez Trace to go to the small town of Houston, MS where I was born and where my relatives still live. My mom is 100.
100!? That is great! Moulton is tiny! You blink you'll miss it!
My dad is arranging for me to get to meet an Alabama Congressman. Don't know if you've heard of Robert Aderholt? My dad knows him through gospel singing conventions.
He is until an appellate court smacks him down.
I wonder if the judge would sentence a man to death wearing that robe.
My mother is an amazing lady. She loves to tell us about the good ole days when she was a kid riding in a wagon or buggy. All of her siblings are gone now except for one younger sister. Her dad died many years before I was born so I never knew him but she loves to talk about him. He was married before he married my grandmother and had a son by her before she died. Then he remarried and my mother was the oldest of the 12 kids they had. I can remember going to sacred harp singing with my mom and one of her aunts. One of my favorite memories is going to a small country church with her aunt and they had a washtub of lemonade. Nothing tasted as good as that cold drink on that hot summer day in MS.
I don't know about the cajun chicken place. There is a local burger place called NeSmith's that has been around and passed from generation to generation since the 50's. There is a good steak house and BBQ place too. My grandmothers died in their 80's. I loved hearing those old stories too. I miss eating watermelon in the summer and tossing the rinds to the cows.
I do not know what the name of the food place was in Moulton or wherever it was. But, it had very good food. We had a large van back then with a table between the front and back seats. It was really nice to eat on the road! I have not been that way in about 10 years. One of my favorite stories about the van was on the way back from Florida. Hubby was driving, put the cruise control on and we changed seats going about 65 on the interstate. Dangerous, you bet but we did not think about that then.
We knew a woman who lived to be 112. When you asked her how she lived so long she answered that she ate a lot of fruit and walked daily with God.
My mom has had a close walk with God, too. When we were down there the last time, she kept saying, "God, I'm ready whenever you are". I just know our daughter died before my mom did so she could be there to welcome her Ma Gann. They adored each other and Jan would say, "I need to call Ma Gann, I really need to hear her voice". This is a hard Christmas without our daughter. We know that she is singing and playing her clarinet with the angels this Christmas for God. Whenever we would go down, I would take lots of pictures of the 2 of them. I kept thinking that my mom would be the first to go but it turned out to be Jan.
If other judges are allowed to decorate/fashion their robes as they see fit, then this judge should be allowed to decorate/fashion his robe as he sees fit.
In fact, every judge should be allowed to decorate/fashion his/her robes as they see fit.
The voters will decide at the ballot box if they've stepped out of line.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.