Updated
Dec 23, 2020
Virginia Judge Wonât Try Black Man In Courtroom With White Portraits
Judge David Bernhard is concerned that the portraits might suggest the courtroom is a place historically administered by whites for whites.â
Matthew Barakat
FALLS CHURCH, Va. (AP) â A Black defendantâs right to a fair trial would be harmed if the jury heard the case in a courtroom lined with portraits of white jurists, a northern Virginia judge has ruled.
The upcoming trial of Terrance Shipp on charges of eluding police will be held in a courtroom that has no portraits on the wall, said Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge David Bernhard.
Fairfax judge says portraits of white judges could be bias towards defendant
In September, another judge ordered that an image of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee be removed before a murder trial involving a defendant who was Black
Judge
David Bernhard of Fairfax County Circuit Court wrote an opinion letter stating Black defendants cannot receive a fair trial in a courtroom filled with portraits of white judges. In the letter that went out Monday, he also said he will not allow such portraits to hang during trials he is proceeding over, per
The letter is in response to the case of
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Source: AP Photo/Brennan Linsley
Well, it looks like if there are portraits that are problematic, it could hold up your day in court. I’m not kidding. In Virginia, the application of our legal system for one black defendant is being held up because a judge doesn’t like that this person will be in a room with portraits of white jurists.
‘Wokeness’ has infected almost every aspect of American society and it’s not pretty. And when it starts to leech into the legal system, mayhem will ensue. This is minor league ball compared to what we could all expect from ‘woke’ judges when it comes to the application of the law. Hell, we got a taste of it this summer when progressives decided to burn down half the country. There is a fine line between criminal justice reform and utter anarchy. Between law and order and doling out race-based exemptions to folks who have committed vicious crimes. Just look at what’s going on in New York City. And now, we can’t even hold
Judge won t try Black man in courtroom with white portraits
by Matthew Barakat, The Associated Press
Posted Dec 22, 2020 5:38 pm EDT
Last Updated Dec 22, 2020 at 5:44 pm EDT
FALLS CHURCH, Va. A Black defendant’s right to a fair trial would be harmed if the jury heard the case in a courtroom lined with portraits of white jurists, a northern Virginia judge has ruled.
The upcoming trial of Terrance Shipp on charges of eluding police will be held in a courtroom that has no portraits on the wall, said Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge David Bernhard.
Bernhard noted that his usual courtroom has no portraits. But jury trials that were postponed during the coronavirus pandemics are now being held in larger courtrooms. The walls of those rooms are lined with portraits of retired judges who are overwhelmingly white, he said.
Va. judge rules Black defendant can’t get a fair trial in courtroom largely featuring portraits of White judges Justin Jouvenal A Fairfax County judge has ruled that a Black defendant can’t get a fair trial in a courtroom decorated overwhelmingly with portraits of White judges and has ordered the paintings to be removed for the man’s upcoming legal proceeding. Fairfax County Circuit Court Judge David Bernhard wrote in an opinion issued late Monday that the portraits of past judges from the Fairfax County Circuit Court could create the impression that the court is biased. Bernhard wrote that he won’t allow any portraits to be on display for any trial he presides over.