Most Corrupt Judges in History

The video script discusses ten judges who were notorious for their corruption, which had a profound impact on the justice system. It highlights Judge Paschal English's fall from grace after a scandal involving sexual harassment and his own extramarital affairs, including one with a public defender who argued cases in his courtroom. The video also touches on Judge Paul Hawkes' misuse of public funds to build a luxurious courthouse, and the subsequent fallout from his corrupt actions.

Paragraph 2 details the case of Judge Mike Maggio, who was initially a respected figure until his online posts under the pseudonym 'Geauxjudge' were discovered to be racist, sexist, and homophobic. Maggio also shared confidential case details, leading to his resignation. Further investigation revealed a connection between campaign donations from a nursing home owner and a reduced verdict in a negligence case, which Maggio had presided over. This led to Maggio's indictment for bribery, a guilty plea, and a ten-year prison sentence, later reduced for his cooperation with authorities.

Judge Wade McCree's inappropriate behavior, including sending shirtless pictures to court employees, culminated in a scandal when it was discovered that he had an affair with a party involved in a child support case he was presiding over. The affair compromised the case, as McCree and the woman, Geniene La’Shay Mott, conspired against the defendant. This led to McCree's suspension, removal from the bench, and a $12,000 fine for ethics violations.

Judge John C. Murphy's temper led to a physical altercation with public defender Andrew Weinstock in court after Weinstock refused to waive a client's right to a jury trial. The incident escalated to a point where the two men had to be separated outside the courtroom. Public outrage followed, leading to formal charges against Murphy and his eventual removal from the bench by the Florida Supreme Court.

Judge Joan Orie Melvin, who had a successful early career and established the state's first domestic violence court, had her sights set on higher office. However, her ruthless tactics and a loss in an election led to her suing an anonymous blogger, which was unsuccessful. Later, she won a seat on the Pennsylvania Supreme Court, but her and her sisters' involvement in a campaign finance scandal resulted in their arrest. Melvin was found guilty of several charges and sentenced to community service, a hand-written apology to all state judges, and was disbarred.

Alabama Judge Mark Fuller was known for harsh sentences and high salaries for his employees, which raised suspicions of corruption. He was involved in the controversial conviction of former Governor Don Siegelman on medicare fraud charges. Fuller's refusal to allow a hung jury and the severity of the sentence drew criticism. His personal life was also mired in scandal after he was arrested for assaulting his wife, leading to his removal from cases and eventually his resignation.

Thomas J. Maloney, a former boxer and lawyer, was appointed to the Illinois Supreme Court amidst concerns over his mob connections. His corruption was so blatant that it became a focal point of Operation Greylord, an undercover investigation into judicial corruption in Illinois. Maloney was eventually arrested and convicted for taking bribes to acquit criminals, including gang members, and was sentenced to fifteen years in prison.

Alcee Hastings began as an ambitious lawyer and became a federal judge in 1979. However, he was involved in a bribery scandal during a racketeering trial, for which he was acquitted. Despite this, the House of Representatives impeached him, and the Senate removed him from his judgeship. Undaunted, Hastings ran for Florida Secretary of State, lost, but later won a seat in Congress, where he served for nearly twenty years until his death in 2021.

In Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, Judges Michael Conahan and Mark Ciavarella were known for harsh sentencing of juvenile defendants. Conahan, who defunded a state-run center, and Ciavarella, known for excessive sentences, were later found to be involved in a conspiracy to build private juvenile prisons and received kickbacks for each child they sentenced to these facilities. The scandal led to a forty-eight count indictment, with Ciavarella receiving a twenty-eight-year sentence and Conahan seventeen years, marking one of the harshest penalties for judicial corruption.