Opinion ID: 1091606
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Charges III(1) and (2)

Text: This charge alleges that respondent showed favoritism in his handling of a criminal case against John Bynog by dismissing the case prematurely without legal grounds and by socializing with Bynog while felony charges against Bynog were pending in his division of court. Bynog and respondent were lifelong friends. In September, 1982, Bynog was arrested for felony theft. Respondent had declined to sign the arrest warrant and advised the deputy to take the matter before the grand jury. On December 3, 1982, Bynog was arraigned in respondent's court and pleaded not guilty. The following month, Bynog took respondent rabbit hunting two or three times. Respondent presided over the bench trial held on March 25, 1983. When an experienced deputy sheriff during the trial blurted out unsolicited information regarding the contents of a statement which had just been excluded from evidence, respondent declared a mistrial and dismissed the case. Following the dismissal, the prosecutor pointed out to respondent that he lacked authority to dismiss the charges, whereupon relator admitted his mistake and recalled the dismissal. He then recused himself from the case. As to the dismissal, respondent immediately admitted and rectified his mistake. Double jeopardy problems, if any, were created by the declaring of the mistrial and not by the dismissal of the case. The far more serious matter was respondent's presiding over the trial at all and his continued social activity with Bynog while the matter was pending. At the hearing before the commission, respondent admitted the impropriety of this conduct, characterizing it as poor judgment. He explained that Bynog had invited him hunting during a chance meeting at a supermarket and that they each took a child with them. We conclude that there was clear and convincing evidence that respondent socialized with John Bynog while felony charges against Bynog were pending in his court, but that the charge of favoritism based on dismissal of the charges was not proved.