Oklahoma judge might get sacked for texting, scrolling social media during murder trial

A judge in the US state of Oklahomais on the verge of losing her job after she was caught on camera sending text messages and scrolling social media during a murder trial.

The chief justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Courtrecommended the removal of the new Lincoln County District Judge Traci Soderstrom for negligence of duty, following an investigation by the state's Council on Judicial Complaints, AP reported.

Chief Justice John Kane IV wrote, "The pattern of conduct demonstrates Respondent’s (Soderstrom’s) gross neglect of duty, gross partiality and oppression. The conduct further demonstrates Respondent’slack of temperament to serve as a judge."

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Soderstrom has been under scrutiny since July after she was caught sending almost 500 messages, including mocking the prosecutor, praising the defence lawyer and calling one of the key witnesses a lawyer to her bailiff during the trial of a man accused in a fatal beating of a two-year-old.

The video was published by the Oklahoman newspaper showing the judge texting during the jury selection, opening statements and testimony during the trial in Chandler.

She was suspended with pay pending the outcome of a hearing by the Court on the Judiciary, which will determine whether she will be removed from the bench.

'Judge finds it funny'

All this began when Khrisitan Tyler Martzall, the man on trial, was convicted of second-degree manslaughter in the 2018 death of Braxton Danker, son of hisgirlfriend, and was sentenced to time served.

The mother of the child and Martzall's girlfriend Judith, pleaded guiltytoenabling child abuse, was sentenced to 25 years, and was a key witness who was called a "liar" by the judge.

As per the filing, the text reads, "State just couldn’t accept that a mom could kill their kid so they went after the next person available."

According to Kane's petition, Soderstrom's texts also included saying "the prosecutor was sweating through his coat" during questioning of potential jurors and asking "Why does he have baby hands?"

She also lauded the defence lawyer as 'awesome' and asked 'can I clap for her?' during the arguments.

Furthermore, the filing stated that Soderstrom replied with a laughing emoji icon to the bailiff's demeaning reference to the prosecuting attorney's genitals.

She commented a police officer was "pretty", adding "I could look at him all day."

When questioned by the Council on Judicial Complaints, Soderstrom, rather than realising the comments should never have been made, said that her texting probably could have waited and thought, "Oh, that’s funny. Move on."

Soderstrom's tenure ends in January 2027.

(With inputs from agencies)

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