Judge Samuel Kent entered a federal prison medical facility in Massachusetts beginning a 33-month sentence stemming from years of predatory sexual assaults on two federal courthouse employees. From the Houston Chronicle:
Kent, the first federal judge to enter prison since 1991, has refused to immediately resign his post triggering rare House impeachment proceedings to remove him and cut off his $174,000 annual salary.
The House Judiciary Committee unanimously urged House action last week after graphic testimony about his sexual assaults from two victims, case manager Cathy McBroom, 50, and legal secretary Donna Wilkerson, 45.
Kent’s lawyer, Houston attorney Dick DeGuerin, told the Houston Chronicle on Monday that Congress was trying “to strip a United States district judge with eighteen years of honorable service of his hard-earned retirement and medical benefits because he's pled guilty to lying about his relationship with his long-time personal secretary.”
DeGuerin said lawmakers wanted to “publicly posture while spending more taxpayer money on the impeachment process than the cost of allowing Judge Kent his retirement and medical benefits.”
Terry W. Yates, who serves as Wilkerson’s attorney, said “while Sam Kent's imprisonment does bring some closure to Donna Wilkerson, it does not come with vindication, but instead, with a sense of sadness at the human tragedy that his life has become.”
The House Judiciary Committee unanimously urged House action last week after graphic testimony about his sexual assaults from two victims, case manager Cathy McBroom, 50, and legal secretary Donna Wilkerson, 45.
Kent’s lawyer, Houston attorney Dick DeGuerin, told the Houston Chronicle on Monday that Congress was trying “to strip a United States district judge with eighteen years of honorable service of his hard-earned retirement and medical benefits because he's pled guilty to lying about his relationship with his long-time personal secretary.”
DeGuerin said lawmakers wanted to “publicly posture while spending more taxpayer money on the impeachment process than the cost of allowing Judge Kent his retirement and medical benefits.”
Terry W. Yates, who serves as Wilkerson’s attorney, said “while Sam Kent's imprisonment does bring some closure to Donna Wilkerson, it does not come with vindication, but instead, with a sense of sadness at the human tragedy that his life has become.”
H/T: Sentencing Law & Policy.
Judge Kent may have the rare opportunity to experience sexual abuse "from both sides now."
Posted by: jimbino | June 29, 2009 at 05:28 PM