Posted on 02/07/2005 11:20:59 AM PST by flutters
Supreme Court Judge Ordered To Jail Or Alcohol Treatment Facility
BOWLING GREEN, Ohio -- Supreme Court Justice Alice Robie Resnick changed her drunken driving plea to guilty on Monday afternoon.
Bowling Green Municipal Court Judge Mark Reddin sentenced Resnick, 65, to three days in jail or 72 consecutive hours at an alcohol treatment center that she must complete by May 8. Resnick was also placed on a two-year probation and was fined $600. Her driver's license was suspended until July 31.
Resnick, 65, of Toledo, did not give a statement in court.
Sources close to NBC 4 said that Resnick was eager to get the events of this past week behind her.
Resnick was pulled over on Interstate 75 in Wood County on Monday.
Drivers alerted the Ohio State Highway Patrol to a possible drunken driver on the road because the Jeep Cherokee she was driving was weaving in and out of traffic.
When Resnick agreed to take the portable alcohol test, she registered 0.216 percent, more than twice the blood-alcohol legal limit in Ohio of 0.08. The portable test can't be used as evidence in court.
The incident was taped from a trooper's squad car. "I don't believe that test," Resnick told a trooper. "Do you have another test I can take?"
Resnick could have faced as much as six months in jail and a fine up to $1,000.
She refused to take an official evidentiary Breathalyzer test, which means an automatic one-year license suspension and a three-year ban from driving state vehicles. She will need a driver to get to Columbus for hearings, but the court has said the service won't be state-paid.
Resnick apologized in a statement last week, saying that she would come to court and then move on.
Resnick, a justice since 1989, is the court's only Democrat.
"She got a fairly steep sentence for a first offence DUI where nobody was injured. "
I believe any and all would receive the same sentence under Ohio law. She received an automatic 6 mos. license suspension because she refused to take a breath test upon her arrest.
3 days or, alternatively, a 3 day stay in a treatment center are SOP.
If it is true, that she told the cops that she always sided with them when cases came before her, she should be disbarred, IMO. In that case, she set up the State for immediate appeals of many of her rulings. (That's my unlegal legal opinion.)
Well, they didn't press fleeing from an officer & resisting arrest charges. If it would have been you or I, there is a good chance we'd be sitting in jail.
She's a NAG-HAG and a dem-lib-socialist-activist judge.
I thought it was a one year suspension (like the article mentions toward the end). But the first part of the article says her license is suspended only until July 31st. Not that it matters much, but I'm curious...
No she didn't. This is the standard punishment for first DWI offenders in Ohio.
I thought it was 6 months, but maybe it is 1 year.
Ohio is really tough on drunk drivers so it wouldn't surprise me. I haven't followed her case too much nor did I read the article in detail, but if I find out more I post it on FR.
I just heard on the news that she received a 6 month suspension, so the automatic suspension must be 6 months rather than 1 year.
She was very drunk; however, some people who only drink two beers could end up in the same situation in Ohio.
"She was very drunk"
At .216, she sure was.
I saw the cops' videotape this morning, and I was very impressed by her ability to handle that much alcohol. No weaving or slurring that I could discern. .2 or more is really, really drunk, and I would have never guessed that she registered that high. She talked too much though, especially the part about always deciding in favor of the cops. That may come back to haunt her.
I understand they have her on tape trying to pressure the Trooper and exerting her influence saying she controlled cases pertaining to him, has anyone heard or seen this?
$600 fine is not steep for a first offense.
One year is the mandatory but if you work you can get driving privleges for that time and if you pay fine and court cost before 6 months the sentence is reduced to 6 months. I am wondering though if she has to get the drunk lincense plates bet not.
Interesting this is presented as more than twice the legal limit instead of "almost 3 times the legal limit."
Wonder how it would be stated if she was GOP? Subtle example of how news can be slanted.
Thanks. Conserv explained this further in post 30.</p>
I think so too. Especially when we are dealing with a judge that is very familiar with drunk driving laws. I think it was a very very poor choice, but in all likelyhood, one that she's made more than once.
Or, more than 2 1/2 times the legal limit.
Wonder how it would be stated if she was GOP?
Drunken Republican Slob Almost Killed 6 On Interstate.
Thanks for straightening me out on that. Not the way it works here in Mo.
I thought it was mandatory one year suspension if you refuse a breathalyser. That this is the law for her subjects, the commoners.
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.