(NationRise.com) – A judge serving in metro Atlanta has been removed from her post after a recent arrest at a local nightclub.
Christina Peterson served as a probate judge for Douglas County, a western suburb of Atlanta. Georgia’s Supreme Court suspended her after a recommendation submitted by the Judicial Qualifications Commission, which accused her of “systemic incompetence,” “judicial misconduct,” and several ethical violations.
Police bodycam footage shows the scantily-clad 38-year-old judge resisting officers as they attempt to remove her from the nightclub on June 20th. Several onlookers can be heard laughing as she’s placed under arrest. She then hurled expletives at officers after being placed in a patrol vehicle.
Peterson allegedly shoved a cop two times during a confrontation in front of Atlanta’s Red Martini Restaurant and Lounge. Marvin Arrington Jr., Peterson’s lawyer, claimed she was just trying to help defend another woman from being attacked. However, the incident still influenced the court’s decision, along with a number of other high-profile incidents.
The investigation revealed that Peterson also illegally detained a US citizen who was naturalized after immigrating from Thailand while trying to correct a misspelling of her father’s name on a marriage license. Peterson claimed the woman was trying to commit fraud against the court and had her sent to jail. The woman ultimately served a two-day sentence and paid a $500 fine. However, the Judicial Qualifications Commission later sided with the woman.
She also gave false testimony during an investigation of the incident. The Supreme Court accused her of “conscious wrongdoing” in the case while noting 30 other counts pending against her. A dozen of them were considered serious enough to merit disciplinary actions.
Peterson later slammed the officers who arrested her. She claimed to see a man attacking another woman and said she was just trying to protect her. However, the bodycam footage confirms Peterson’s assault on an officer. The ruling bars Peterson from serving as a judge in the state for seven years.
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