Wednesday, August 15, 2012

Great Moments in Judicial Conduct

The Bryan/College Station Eagle is reporting the following remarks from Brazos County Justice of the Peace Michael P. McCleary, regarding the disposition of the body of Thomas "Tres" Caffall:

McCleary said on the Caffall's [sic] autopsy report, he wrote that only the family could pick up the body of the gunman.  Typically, he said, he'll list a local funeral home, as well as the family, so the body can be brought back to the area.
"In his case, I just put 'family.' I'm not going to let the county be out the expense of going and picking up his nasty-ass body.  If it cost us $200 to go pick him up, I'm not going to pay for it. The family can take care of that.  I have no sympathy for him or the family."
Wow.  I understand having no sympathy for a man who killed a Peace Officer.  I truly do.

But his family?

"Nasty-ass?"

Really?

16 comments:

Anonymous said...

Crass and insensitive. Words from a man angry at the loss of a fine officer, but still crass and insensitive. In case he missed it, corruption of blood is banned under our system of justice.

Anonymous said...

lack of class and definately not how he was taught to behave and speak at "judge school". Hope his colleagues give him what-for

Anonymous said...

Texas.

Anonymous said...

I didn't say this yesterday but that smiling kid you gave your dog to might have been smiling just as much when he tortured him, buried him and told his folks that poor dog had just run off. He probably wouldn't do that any more than he'd shoot a cop down in cold blood either though.

Anonymous said...

Honey-Badger don't care. Nasty-Ass Honey Badger don't give a shit. Just look at him - ewe

Murray Newman said...

Anon 11:17 p.m.,

Your comment isn't accurate or helpful. There is absolutely no indication that anything ever happened to the dog.

You insinuate something based on a stereotypical misconception. Yes, there are some spree killers and/or serial killers who have been documented in the past to have tortured animals. But just as there are different forms of physical illness, there are different forms of mental illness.

The tragedy in College Station doesn't need any additional fanning of the flames to make it sad. It also doesn't need uneducated assumptions widening the depth of your lack of understanding of mental health issues.

Anonymous said...

Judge McCleary isn't a lawyer. JPs don't have to be lawyers. Maybe that's the reason that the commission on judicial conduct spends so much time disciplining JPs for doing stupid things they lack the authority to do.
Too many of them think they're God when they become JPs. That's crazy. They're not federal judges.

Anonymous said...

Read this with interest, then talked to a lawyer friend. They are of the opinion the Commission on Judicial Conduct would be shocked over this.....

Anonymous said...

Sounds like freedom of speech to me. I'd be willing to bet some of the above 8 posters backed Chick-Fil-A a few weeks back.....?

HCSO Patrolman

Murray Newman said...

HCSO Patrolman,

You are correct that the JP has the 1st Amendment Right to say what he wants without being arrested for it.

It doesn't protect him from disdain or ridicule.

One has to wonder if a defendant were to call JP McCleary a "nasty-ass" in open court, would he have his 1st Amendment Rights respected?

Anonymous said...

The position McCleary holds makes him accountable for his words. Yes there is freedom of speech, yes I supported CFA. However the JP should have held his opinion to himself. It was very disrespectful to the family and friends of the shooter. I was amazed that came out of the mouth of a JP.

It is apparent that the young man had severe mental issues.

To anon 11:17 that comment was uncalled for moran.

Anonymous said...

I wonder if this JP might have 'mental issues'.

Anonymous said...

Anonymous August 16, 2012 2:17 PM

Yes, I backed Chik-Fil-A, damn straight. BUT, a JP has no business making a statement like that to a newspaper. As a professional, he can think it, he can believe it, but he better not say it. Of course he has the right to say it, but he also must be ready to face the consequences for making a statement like that. it's uncalled for.

Anonymous said...

Judges, regardless of whether they are lawyers or not, are to behave in a way that fosters respect and the appearance of neutrality. This statement does neither. The Judicial Commission should look into this conduct.

Anonymous said...

These are the words of a person with luck, not someone who has visited their flesh and blood in the darkness of TDC. I hope his nasty-ass heart can grow a few sizes and he can show basic human compassion for a suffering family. I also hope that when he faces a situation like this, others give him more compassion than he deserves.

Anonymous said...

Update: JP McCleary has apologized to the family and has taken out an ad in today's Bryan Eagle to publicly apologize. Interesting.

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