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Chicago slayings rattle [Florida] judges
March 8, 2005

http://www.sptimes.com/2005/03/07/State/Chicago_slayings_ratt.shtml

While no Tampa Bay area jurist ever has been murdered, some have been harassed, followed and publicly threatened.

Probably the most guarded Pinellas judge now is Greer, whose decisions on the Schiavo case have received international attention. Guards sometimes encourage him to eat lunch in his office.

Security officials don't like to talk specifically about how they protect judges, but in Pinellas County, access to criminal court judges' chambers was cut off years ago, even to members of the press.

Judges park in a special lot that is under video surveillance and a key card is needed to get in the entrance they use.

Pinellas County's budget for judicial and courthouse security pays for metal detectors, facial recognition technology and the salaries of 140 bailiffs. Pinellas deputies have, on occasion, also protected a judge's home round-the-clock.

When he does go out - as he did recently to celebrate a judicial assistant's birthday - the armed guards are with him.

--Times staff writer Bill Levesque and researcher Caryn Baird contributed to this report, which includes information from other news organizations.