Judge won't step down from Nichols case
Court Alerts
The judge overseeing the murder trial of accused courthouse shooter Brian Nichols said Thursday he won't step down from the case, but will ask another judge to consider a defense request to remove him.
Lawyers for defendant Brian Nichols said in court papers earlier this week that Superior Court Judge James Bodiford was quoted in a newspaper article four days after the March 11, 2005, shootings saying that he was friends with the judge killed in the rampage.
The article also said Bodiford released a statement at the time that described the death of Judge Rowland Barnes as a "brutal murder."
Nichols' lawyers questioned Bodiford's ability to be impartial, and asked that he step down.
Bodiford said at a hearing Thursday that he doesn't believe he should step down. But he said it's a good idea to let another judge review the issue.
Bodiford is serving on the Nichols case in place of a previous judge who stepped down from the case in late January after he was quoted in a magazine article saying of Nichols that "everyone in the world knows he did it."
Nichols' murder trial for the killings of four people resumes July 10.
Related listings
-
Another guilty plea in NBA referee betting scandal
Court Alerts 04/25/2008A professional gambler pleaded guilty on Thursday to making bets based on inside tips from former NBA referee Tim Donaghy.James Battista told a judge in federal court in Brooklyn he hatched a scheme in late 2006 with another old friend of Donaghy, Th...
-
Court cuts $200M from royalty judgment against Genentech
Court Alerts 04/25/2008The California Supreme Court has slashed $200 million from a judgment against Genentech Inc.The South San Francisco-based biotechnology company was ordered to pay $500 million to a Southern California hospital for failing to pay royalties after City ...
-
Court Hears Arguments on Burden of Proof in Age Suits
Court Alerts 04/24/2008It is not necessarily unlawful for an employer to adopt policies that put older workers at a disadvantage. Such policies pass muster under the Age Discrimination in Employment Act as long as they are based on “reasonable factors other than age.”The q...
Is Now the Time to Really Call a Special Education Lawyer?
IDEA, FAPE, CHILD FIND and IEPs: The Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) guarantees all children with disabilities to a free appropriate public education (FAPE). FAPE starts with a school’s responsibility to identify that a child has a disability (Child Find) and create an Individualized Education Program (IEP) to suit the needs of the child.
Forte Law Group is one of only a very few law firms within the state of Connecticut that is dedicated to exclusively representing families and children with special needs.
Parents need to be persistent, dedicated and above all else aware of the many services and accommodations that their child is entitled to under the law. As early as this point within your child’s special education, many parents will often find themselves in the situation asking, “is now the time to really call a special education lawyer?” Here are a few things to consider when asking yourself that question.