California City Council Calls for Removal of “Justice Reform” Judge

Something very serious happened in Chino, California. It is located west of Los Angeles. Riverside County Sheriff’s Department officers spotted William Shae McKay, a wanted felon driving in their area. They chased McKay and led him on a high-speed chase along I-15. McCay was eventually stopped and shot and killed motorcycle deputy Isaiah Cordero. The whole thing was caught on camera. During the investigation it became clear that McCay should not have been seen in public. With a lengthy rap sheet, McCay was previously charged with kidnapping as well as robbery. However, McKay was able to walk away and skip his court date after San Bernadino County Superior Judge Cara Hutson greatly reduced the bail request by the prosecutors. Now, the Chino City Council as well as law enforcement agencies are Hutson must resign. Or for the state senator to remove her from its bench. (CBS News)

The Chino City Council, nearly two years after the ordeal ended, denounced the San Bernardino County Superior Court judge in the case. They claimed that the violence could have been avoided if the judge had not lower the bail of the violent criminal.

“Cara Hutson, the San Bernardino County Superior Court judge presiding over this case demonstrated a lack o discernment and negligence in granting this violent individual bail,” Eunice M. Uloa, Chino Mayor

Mayor claimed that Judge Cara Hutson’s decision not to lower McKay’s bail on kidnapping, robbery and kidnapping charges did not give him any incentive to return to court to face his sentencing. Ulloa claimed that McKay’s violent criminal past made him a threat to law enforcement and the general public.

William McKay clearly didn’t want to be rehabilitated and return to a productive and productive life. His willingness to fight with so many deputies in a gunfight speaks volumes about his dangerously unstable personality.

So Judge Cara Hutson reduced his bail to make it easier for him to be released on the streets. While she doesn’t say, it has been a common theme in California’s legal systems for some time. It was predictable that the results would be disastrous.

However, it is not clear how Hutson will be removed from her seat if she refuses to resign. (And there is no evidence that this has happened. The letter’s signatories are asking for the removal of her by the state senate, but that power is not available to them, at least not directly.

According to Article VI of the state constitutionTo review the judge, the senator would need to petition Commission on Judicial Performance. The State Supreme Court would be required to hear any recommendation from the Commission to remove her. Additionally, there are certain requirements before such action can occur. These include requiring that the judge be convicted of or at minimum indicted for a felony-level offense. Although she may be terrible at her job it could make it difficult to charge her with a crime.

Section 18 of Article VI contains a section that discusses the removal of a judge. “willful misconduct in office, persistent failure or inability to perform the judge’s duties.” This is also a little vague. While it might have been a bad idea to drastically lower bail for the defendant due to his violent past, it was legal and available to the judge as part her court proceedings. “duties,” So claiming willful misconduct can be a difficult decision.

If Hutson isn’t sacked by the state legislature and law enforcement, then there may not be much left to do until her term ends.  Californians need to stop electing officials that immediately jump on the bail reform train if they don’t want more law enforcement officials being killed in such a fashion.

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