On Friday, a Lehigh County jury acquitted an Allentown man who ended up on the wrong side of an altercation with four cops investigating reports of an armed man. It just so happens that in 2013, this very same Defendant was involved in a drug deal that went bad. He was charged among other things, with being an ex-con in possession of a firearm. He's certainly no saint. A Facebook video certainly suggests police may have over-reacted, so I have no quarrel with the jury's verdict. They heard the evidence, not me. I do ask whether Judge Maria Dantos crossed the line and acted ethically when she publicly berated these officers. I have to wonder whether she herself is biased.
After the verdict, and presumably after the jury had been excused, she accused officers of committing perjury, smirking on the stand, exchanging high-fives in a hallway and laughing at defense attorney Robert E Goldman, who just happens to file a lot of civil rights lawsuits.
She was the presiding judge. If she saw officers smirking on the stand, did she stop the proceedings, excuse the jury and admonish the guilty officers? If she saw them exchanging high-fives in the hallway, did she bring in the officers and warn them? If they were laughing at appropriately-named Goldman, wouldn't that be a basis for her to hold them in contempt? Why didn't she?
When Dantos first was elevated to the judicial heavens in 2007, she was a prosecutor married to a retired Allentown cop who has become Slatington's police chief. She was as pro-cop as Judge Dumbass claims to be then. But as her marriage soured, is it possible her attitude towards police soured as well? Especially Allentown police?
After her scathing remarks, which incidentally included accusations of perjury, can anyone expect her to be an unbiased and neutral judge?
25 comments:
Sometimes a cigar is a cigar. These guys probably acted like asses. I'll trust the judge's judgment on this one.
And why the gratuitous swipe at Goldman?
Perhaps the more important thing is what will the police department do with those officers?
The chuckle heads were dumb enough to get noticed doing unprofessional things then they can pay the price.
i find it odd that in a different case and judge instructing cops on how to act is verboten yet the judge in this case is supposed to instruct cops on how to act.
The cops can get a good laugh as they know nothing will happen to them because they are untouchable.
The most they will get is a Sargent telling Officer Friendly "i am giving you a day off with pay and when you get back Monday make sure the blood is off the nightstick"
something that does not happen when a regular guy gets caught lying to the judge.
Nothing good about this case, bad guy walks, cops are unprofessional, judge is unprofessional. And some wonder why there is so little faith in our system. Any discipline for SBRPD officers who covered up? Didn't think so. Our new DA is as bad as any of these hacks.
"And why the gratuitous swipe at Goldman?"
No gratuitous swipe intended. He's a very good lawyer. I just think his name is funny.
"i find it odd that in a different case and judge instructing cops on how to act is verboten yet the judge in this case is supposed to instruct cops on how to act."
Judges are bound by a Code of Judicial Conduct. They are unable to help cops by showing them how top present their cases in pending or impending matters. They also should avoid commentary on issues that will make them appear biased in future matters. On the other hand, she has a courtroom to run. If a cop engages in the behavior that Dantos alleges she witnessed, I find it odd that she did not stop the trial and sanction them then and there, but instead waited for the verdict. She also accused these cops of perjury. She was the trial judge and could easily have stopped these schoolyard antics.
I have to wonder whether she herself is biased against Allentown police. I am sure they and the DA are asking themselves the same question. While I am sure she is sincere and motivated by a desire for justice, her comments have created a perception that she will be unfair to cops.
Did she cross the thin blue line? Damn straight! Good for her. She's now my favorite judge.
Judge Dantos is retiring this year, maybe this was her way to vent out her feelings one last time!
If anyone knows about violations of Judicial and Attorney ethics it's this guy so everyone listen up! Bernie is like the Usain Bolt of getting disbarred.
why, thank you.
You attribute an awful lot of wisdom to yourself. Maybe you should stick with the poop stories.
reading the retreads of LVL, mcall and other blogs is hilarious. are you having fun squeezing month old lemons for juice now that all your courthouse gossip contacts dried up like eggs on an arizona highway?
when Terry slammed the door in your face did you cry?
Maybe if there were not so many reality judges on tv, the emotional response of humans would be different.
"While I am sure she is sincere and motivated by a desire for justice, her comments have created a perception that she will be unfair to cops."
Perhaps another theory.
1st--- the trial itself which is separate from the antics of the cops.
2nd after the verdict she takes the cops to task as a warning to them rather than sanction them.The idea --"hey butt-heads you acted badly and i could have hammered you for it but i cut you a break". officially charging you with perjury and your antics could cost you your job--so listen and learn idiots".
sounds like she did a favor for the police.
if she truly had a hard-on for the cops she could have gotten them in some serious trouble.
if anything the DA should mention what happened to the police Chief and then quietly the police management can make their displeasure known.
The Chief does not need unprofessional conduct like that darkening his door.
The officers acting up need a reality check but i doubt the Chief will dig too deep into what happened otherwise he would have to discipline those officers.
This is just one of the many assaults upon the public by Allentown City public servants! Most are man child in blue carrying a firearm that want to unload at every chance they can and da Martin is complicated in there excessive force used against the public!
reading the retreads of LVL, mcall and other blogs is hilarious. are you having fun squeezing month old lemons for juice now that all your courthouse gossip contacts dried up like eggs on an arizona highway?
when Terry slammed the door in your face did you cry?""
Criminal defendant Tricia Mezzacappa, Hate to break this to you, but I have more sources now than I ever did, and at no time has Terry refused to see or discuss matters with me.
Goldman is a sanctimonious fraud.
Take that to the bank.
The most henious of all gangs in Allentown PA is the boys in blue colluding with there criminal brothers in crime that infect the city streets with there drug dealing epidemic. The boys in blue are the ones looking the other way with there eyes excepting drug bribe payments with there left hand for the right handed overlords running this criminal institution. This institution together is carrying out crimes from A to Z in both the Criminal and Civil divisions of the jistice system the boys in blue are sworn to uphold.
Her statements rang true to me. I believe that the jury was present, but I could be wrong. Good for her is what I say. I have no clue if she had the opportunity or of it was appropriate to interrupt the trial as you suggest. Look at what happened with the crash of Washington Twp's chief - people need to cross the blue line more often.
Better call Saul...
You can want to a Judge to be as neutral as possible and not have any hatred or false opinions or bias towards anyone...but, we know that isn't the case and that is because Judges are human...so unless we get some robots to do their job you will have this. I don't think she was out of line if what she was saying is true. I also feel that Attorney Goldman is gonna get the last laugh here because she just handed him a nice fat check for him and his client when it goes to civil suit. APD should just pay up now.
"Goldman is a sanctimonious fraud.
Take that to the bank."
Goldman is probably the best trial attorney in these parts
Signed,
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The author was unable to hide his bias against the Judge and Defence Lawyer.
The past history of the defendant had no relevance to these proceedings, the case being heard on the supposed facts.
To see the Judge's Statement in full go to the You Tube channel, Lawful Masses with Leonard French.
I agree. Who is the bigoted,biased person? So what if someone's name is Goldman? What's the inference?
We all know,there are some good,and bad, police officers. Nothing new.
Thank you former, Judge Dantos, for speaking up. I admire your courage. But, now we have lost a person who is not afraid to speak up, against police misconduct.
I believe in our Police Departments. We need them. Most of the time, our officers and commanders, act, and respond, with the communities best interest. I believe, this time, Allentown's Police Chief was wrong.
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