For some people, taxidermy - preserving and mounting dead animals - can seem a little bit creepy. But for others, taxidermy is a serious art form that’s growing in popularity. One expert practitioner in Yadkin County, North Carolina enjoys sharing her work with others.
W.Va. Supreme Court Suspends And Fines Circuit Court Judge
A West Virginia man has been convicted of voter fraud after illegally casting more than one ballot during the 2020 presidential election.
Pixel-Shot/Adobe Stock
Listen
Share this Article
In July of 2021, Judge C. Carter Williams, of the Twenty-Second Judicial Circuit, was involved in a traffic stop in the town of Moorefield. Court documents show Williams, stopped by a patrolman for having a cell phone in his hand while driving, “identified himself as a judge, contacted the officer’s supervisors, including the Chief of Police and the Mayor, and made coercive and retaliatory comments.”
Initially, the West Virginia Judicial Hearing Board (JHB) concluded Williams’ conduct during the stop warranted a three-month suspension.
This week, the West Virginia’s Supreme Court of Appeals, in a 56 page document, ruled that a six-month suspension, a censure and a $5,000 fine was more appropriate for Williams. This penalty was in line with a recommendation from the Judicial Disciplinary Counsel.
Chief Justice Beth Walker issued an opinion stating, “The failure (of Williams) to acknowledge the wrongful nature of his conduct is a significant factor to consider, and we conclude that it justifies a harsher sanction than that imposed by the JHB.”
The judicial brief cited earlier traffic stops where Williams also identified his position as a judge.
In schools across the nation, when students of color misbehave, they are disciplined at twice the rate of white students. That means Black and brown students are more likely to face suspension or expulsion. West Virginia lawmakers worry students are not facing the right consequences for their misbehavior. A new state law is designed to make schools safer. In this episode, Us & Them host Trey Kay looks at new approaches to school discipline.
During their interim meeting at Marshall University Sunday, the Legislative Oversight Commission on Education Accountability heard about several changes to rules and regulations governing the Secondary School Activities Commission.
Amendment 1 relates to the checks and balances of the legislative and judicial branches of state government. It’s meant to clarify that the judicial branch has no authority to interfere with the West Virginia House and Senate constitutionally granted impeachment powers.