A white Mississippi Justice Court Judge who allegedly struck and yelled “run, n—er, run,” at a mentally disabled black man in May has reportedly been indicted.
On Thursday, a grand jury served Justice Bill Weisenberger an indictment for simple assault on a vulnerable adult, the Clarion-Ledger reported.
Weisenberger turned himself in to the Madison County sheriff’s office, released on $10,000 bond shortly after, the paper reported.
The family of Eric Rivers, 20, filed a complaint against Weisenberger last year, accusing him of striking and hurling a slur at Rivers at the market on May 8 in Canton, Miss. Several witnesses confirmed the judge’s behavior at the scene.
The judge faces up to 5 years in prison if convicted, and also risks being removed from office.
The Clarion-Ledger noted that since the incident involving Rivers, Weisenberger has racked up several other accusations related to racial bias:
Several additional allegations have surfaced against Weisenberger in the last year. He is accused of imposing an illegal DUI sentence against an African American in his courtroom. The Attorney General’s office said it could not confirm or deny whether it was investigating that matter, though District Attorney Michael Guest said it had turned the matter over to the AG’s office.
Weisenberger also had a lawsuit filed against both him and the county in November. The attorney for Charles Plumpp said Weisenberger arrested and jailed her client, who is African American, on the nonexistence charge of “roaming livestock.”
h/t Gawker
Image via The Committee to Elect Bill Weisenberger Justice Court Judge
Well indictments don’t necessary mean convictions. We have been down this road many times before with the same result.
Of course! He’s in Mississippi and he was elected!
A democracy is only as good, as the intelligence and good faith, of the electorate. And this is pretty bad.
Sounds like a perfect candidate for the GOP. Weisenberger/Trump 2016!
They can be elected, or they can be appointed by a GOP Governor with a GOP Senate and a GOP house.
You pick.
He should be charged with a hate crime, plain and simple.