Seattle Judge Makes Startling Admission In Courtroom

The job of a judge is more complex than people think.  They preside over hearings to determine the level of evidence and whether or not to set bail, and if so, what amount they deem appropriate.  They make sure that the prosecuting and defense attorneys present their cases according to the law.

They rule on legal objections made by either side, give juries (if there is a jury trial) their legal instructions on how they approach their responsibility, or (if it is not a jury trial) render a decision based on the evidence presented.  They also can accept or reject plea bargains based on how they believe it addresses the situation at hand...and a bit more.  If you've been in a courtroom, most judges tend to be pretty stoic and reveal very little over the court of a trial or in a hearing.

That's why it was a significant moment during a hearing inside the King County Courthouse when the judge made a startling admission.  The hearing in front of the judge was the second regarding the alleged murder of a 65-year-old veteran.

The man accused is 20-year-old K'Shawn Jimerson.  Witnesses placed Jimerson at the scene holding a butcher knife covered in blood.  Jimerson called 911 and told the dispatcher he stabbed a man and would be standing outside with the knife.

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He was taken in custody at the scene and charged with second degree murder.  27 hours later Jimerson was out of King County's jail after Judge Michele Gehlson set bail at $50,000 and 10 percent of that was posted.  Low bail for violent offenders has been an ongoing issue in King County.  Judge Gehlson isn't the only person on the bench that has surprised law enforcement and citizens alike by their decisions.

Judge Johanna Bender has also received criticism for a number of lower than expected bail decisions.  In July, Bender set bail at $50,000 for one of two men who allegedly shot a grandmother in front of her granddaughter while getting money from an ATM.  Fortunately the grandmother survived the attack, but one of her attackers was back on the street.  Both have been charged with Assault in the 1st Degree and Attempted Robbery in the 1st Degree.

In February bender reduced the bail of a man charged as an accomplice in a double murder, and is believed to be the person who disposed of the victims bodies, from $1 million to $20,000.  In both cases the State argued against the bail reductions.  K'Shawn Jimerson had a second hearing scheduled, this one in front of Judge Bender.

Prosecutors were asking for Jimerson's bail to be increased to $2 million after formally charging him with 2nd Degree murder.  Before making her decision, Bender made a startling admission after hearing Jimerson's mother express concerns for her son's safety if his face was allowed to be published by the media.

This hearing is not about me, but I will share with you that I often get death threats based on the decisions that I made.  Which is equally frustrating to me because I'm trying to do my job, and it should not be the responsibility of any member of the public to threaten my life because I am trying to uphold the law.

Bender is right.  Agree or disagree with her decisions, threatening anyone's life is never appropriate.  It is a crime to make a threat to life to anyone, but against a judge, it rises to a class B felony.  The people of King County can choose not to return her to the bench in 2025, or if they believed she has committed misfeasance, malfeasance, or violated her oath of office, they can pursue a recall.

Before the hearing was over, Bender wagged a finger at the media:

I will also take this opportunity to editorialize, that I hope the press takes seriously their obligation to tell the stories of what happens in our courtroom in a fair and unbiased way and takes every reasonable editorial action to not stir up public sentiment for revenge.

It sure looks like she is trying to set the media up for blame if any repercussions happen to Jimerson based on a decision she made.  I don't recall a time in my life when I've seen or heard the media encourage violence against a suspect in a crime.  As an elected official, Judge Bender is not above criticism by the media for her decisions, especially if those decrease public safety by setting minimal bail amounts for those accused of violent crimes.

Bender is also not above criticism if an accused violent offender, with a minimum bail amount set by her, commits another violent crime because they were back on the street.  Criticism is warranted and should be expected as part of the job, but death threats are something no one should have to face, regardless of position.