Opinion ID: 1735237
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 7

Heading: Count IImproper Sentencing

Text: ¶ 23. The first allegation of misconduct against Judge Byers arose from her erroneous sentencing of a defendant, and after being made aware of the error, her failure to correct the mistake, thereby violating Miss.Code Ann. § 99-15-26(1) (Supp.1999) and Canons 1, 2 A, 2 B and 3 A(1) of the Code of Judicial Conduct of Mississippi Judges. When sentencing the defendant, Curtis, who pled guilty following his indictment for aggravated assault, Judge Byers applied Section 99-15-26, a pretrial diversion statute which provides in pertinent part: (1) In all criminal cases, felony and misdemeanor, other than crimes against the person, the circuit or county court shall be empowered, upon the entry of a plea of guilty by a criminal defendant, to withhold acceptance of the plea and sentence thereon pending successful completion of such conditions as may be imposed by the court ... Miss.Code Ann. § 99-15-26(1) (Supp.1999) (emphasis added). ¶ 24. Because Curtis's crime was a crime against a person, he was not eligible to be sentenced under this section. Judge Byers testified that at the time she entered the sentencing order in January 1997, she did not realize that this section did not apply to a charge of assault. In her answer to the formal complaint, she stated under oath that she denies that Curtis was sentenced for aggravated assault..., but the record contains a copy of her sentencing order which proves that he was. ¶ 25. The Commission found that the actions taken by Judge Byers with regard to this sentencing matter violated not only the requirements of Section 99-15-26 but also Canons 1, 2 A, 2 B, and 3 A(1) of the Code of Judicial Conduct which state: Canon 1A Judge Should Uphold the Integrity and Independence of the Judiciary An independent and honorable judiciary is indispensable to justice in our society. A judge should participate in establishing, maintaining, and enforcing, and should himself observe, high standards of conduct so that the integrity and independence of the judiciary may be preserved. The provisions of this Code should be construed and applied to further that objective. Canon 2A Judge Should Avoid Impropriety and the Appearance of Impropriety in All His Activities A. A judge should respect and comply with the law and should conduct himself at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the integrity and impartiality of the judiciary. B. A judge should not allow his family, social, or other relationships to influence his judicial conduct or judgment. He should not lend the prestige of his office to advance the private interests of others; nor should he convey or permit others to convey the impression that they are in a special position to influence him. He should not testify voluntarily as a character witness. Canon 3A Judge Should Perform the Duties of His Office Impartially and Diligently The judicial duties of a judge take precedence over all his other activities. His judicial duties include all the duties of his office prescribed by law. In the performance of these duties, the following standards apply: A. Adjudicative Responsibilities. (1) A judge should be faithful to the law and maintain professional competence in it. He should be unswayed by partisan interests, public clamor, or fear of criticism.        B. Administrative Responsibilities. (1) A judge should diligently discharge his administrative responsibilities, maintain professional competence in judicial administration, and facilitate the performance of the administrative responsibilities of other judges and court officials. Miss.Code of Judicial Conduct Canons 1-3. ¶ 26. There was no proof that Judge Byers willfully intended to misuse the sentencing statute. However, we find that the fact that she did misuse it and subsequently did nothing to correct her error, plus her false statement under oath regarding the sentencing, constitutes violation of the sentencing statute, the constitution, and the code of judicial conduct.