A Kentucky judge accused of inappropriate behavior — including having a threesome in her courtroom — has been suspended without pay.
Kenton County Judge Dawn Gentry’s suspension comes two months after she was placed under investigation for a laundry list of alleged infractions, according to the Judicial Conduct Commission of Kentucky. Among them: Gentry reportedly fired a staffer to hire her lover, a former pastor she plays with in a rock band. She then had sex with him and a female employee in her empty courtroom, the commission reports. She’s also been accused of drinking on the job, ordering her staff to work on her re-election campaign and forcing workers to vote for her, per the commission.
Gentry’s attorney calls the suspension unfair, saying his client is fit to remain on the bench. “She was fair and listened to the arguments and wrote good legal opinions,” says lawyer Stephen Ryan. However, State Representative Adam Koenig calls the Gentry’s behavior “extremely troubling,” adding her charges “reflect an abuse of power, among other issues.”
Is there even an argument for keeping her on the bench? Do people who were convicted by Gentry now have valid arguments for getting their sentences overturned?