Magistrate removed from the bench for use of slur, handling of sexual assault case
- By cigaretteman
- Off Topic
- 9 Replies
The Iowa Supreme Court has removed from the bench a magistrate who questioned the veracity of an alleged sexual assault victim because he was a teenage male and asked whether a defendant in a separate case was a “wetback.”
Magistrate David J. Hanson, who is based in Fayette County and has practiced law for more than 36 years, is “simply and unalterably unsuited to be a judge,” and is “unable to preside over any proceeding involving a sexual assault,” the court ruled on Friday.
Its decision to remove Hanson from the bench takes effect in 10 days, assuming Hanson has not resigned before then.
In March, the justices heard oral arguments in the disciplinary proceedings against Hanson. The Iowa Judicial Qualifications Commission, which hears complaints about judges’ conduct, had recommended that the justices suspend Hanson for 90 days due to his conduct in two separate criminal matters.
On Aug. 5, 2022, he refused to sign an arrest warrant for a 17-year-old girl in a sexual abuse case in which the alleged victim was a 15-year-old male. According to court records, Hanson reviewed the matter and denied the warrant, writing that “any self-respecting young male” would have simply removed himself from any sexual touching that was truly unwelcome and he described his own response as a teenager to “unwelcome” sexual advances.
Hanson went on to write that as a teenage boy, the alleged victim’s actions were “contrary to nature” because the “normal, hormone-ridden teenage boy’s reaction to being undressed by a teenage girl” is, “Alright! I’m gonna GET some!” His written decision then went into graphic detail about the physiology of the male sex organ.
In July 2023, Hanson was presiding over a case in which an individual was charged with driving without a license or insurance. A law-student intern who was prosecuting the case later complained that during the proceedings Hanson asked, “Is this guy a wetback? An illegal?”
According to the commission, Hanson also asked whether the prosecutor was sure the defendant, who wasn’t present at the time, hadn’t stolen someone’s identification.
Hanson says use of slur was once ‘common’
At last month’s hearing before the Iowa Supreme Court, Hanson told the justices that with regard to the allegations made by the victim in the sexual abuse case, “I honestly thought, ‘This is a lie. It reads like bad pornography.’ I hate pornography. Pornography is lies … I still, to this day, am convinced that the arrest warrant request, the complaint, was resting on lies.”
At the time, Chief Justice Susan Christensen appeared to bristle at Hanson’s comment and questioned his equation of pornography with lies.
“Sir, are you aware that things that happen to people are pornographic in nature? And sometimes, in order for there to be an arrest warrant, someone might have to give details that are really ugly to give (and) heartbreaking to hear? Just because you’re giving the adjective ‘porn’ — what if those things actually happened to that person? Because it qualifies as porn in your mind and you hate porn, you think it’s a lie?”
“I seriously questioned it,” Hanson replied. “The other problem I had was the utter lack of interest, as far as I could tell, in the policeman attempting to corroborate what the young man said.”
Hanson then likened the decision he faced in that case with what he called the “travesty” of the testimony that was given during the U.S. Supreme Court nomination hearings for conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, and for Justice Clarence Thomas in 1991.
“Those were lies,” Hanson said, pounding the podium as he addressed the Iowa justices. “Televised lies! And I was appalled by that, and I thought, ‘I will not be an instrument of anyone seeking to destroy someone without any backing up of what (the alleged victim) said here.’”
As to the second matter involving the case in which Hanson used the term “wetback,” Christensen asked Hanson, “Do you think the term ‘wetback’ is offensive?”
“I’ve learned since using it that it is,” Hanson said. “I grew up in west side, working class Waterloo, and it was fairly common.”
Christensen cut Hanson off, shaking her head and telling him, “You definitely, that one, I am gonna call ‘foul’ on that, that you didn’t know it was offensive.” Hanson told the justices he was agreeable to taking whatever educational courses the court might prescribe for him but asked that he not be removed from the bench due to the heavy caseloads in Fayette County.
Justices remove Hanson from the bench
In the decision Friday to remove Hanson from the bench, Justice Dana Oxley, writing for the full court, stated that “it should go without saying that the term ‘w——‘ is a racially derogatory, highly offensive slur that does not belong in a courtroom — and especially not from the mouth of a judge … We cannot overemphasize how inappropriate it was for Magistrate Hanson to use the slur … Rather than recognize the term as the racial epithet that it is, he labels it as ‘someone’s taboo’ that he ‘apparently’ transgressed.”
In deciding that Hanson’s conduct warranted not just a suspension but his removal from the bench, the court stated that if Hanson “cannot recognize bias or prejudice in his own conduct, we cannot trust him to recognize it in those he is tasked with policing,” referring to attorneys and other officers of the court.
Hanson, the court added, “has not shown regret for his choice of words. He has not shown genuine remorse for the effect his statements likely had on the litigants. He has shown no aptitude for self-improvement. Indeed, he suggested in his brief that the commission simply provide him with a list of ‘bad words’ so that he can avoid them in conversation.”
With regard to the sexual assault case, the court found that Hanson is “unable to preside over any proceeding involving a sexual assault,” and noted that in a written brief, Hanson had explained his view of sexual assault allegations by writing, “All judges should know, and fear, false accusations of sexual crimes alleged long after the supposed events. I witnessed the televised atrocities visited upon U.S. Supreme Court Justice nominees … by women whom effective cross examinations showed to be telling falsehoods. I will never abet such ‘high-tech lynchings.’ ”
www.thegazette.com
Magistrate David J. Hanson, who is based in Fayette County and has practiced law for more than 36 years, is “simply and unalterably unsuited to be a judge,” and is “unable to preside over any proceeding involving a sexual assault,” the court ruled on Friday.
Its decision to remove Hanson from the bench takes effect in 10 days, assuming Hanson has not resigned before then.
In March, the justices heard oral arguments in the disciplinary proceedings against Hanson. The Iowa Judicial Qualifications Commission, which hears complaints about judges’ conduct, had recommended that the justices suspend Hanson for 90 days due to his conduct in two separate criminal matters.
On Aug. 5, 2022, he refused to sign an arrest warrant for a 17-year-old girl in a sexual abuse case in which the alleged victim was a 15-year-old male. According to court records, Hanson reviewed the matter and denied the warrant, writing that “any self-respecting young male” would have simply removed himself from any sexual touching that was truly unwelcome and he described his own response as a teenager to “unwelcome” sexual advances.
Hanson went on to write that as a teenage boy, the alleged victim’s actions were “contrary to nature” because the “normal, hormone-ridden teenage boy’s reaction to being undressed by a teenage girl” is, “Alright! I’m gonna GET some!” His written decision then went into graphic detail about the physiology of the male sex organ.
In July 2023, Hanson was presiding over a case in which an individual was charged with driving without a license or insurance. A law-student intern who was prosecuting the case later complained that during the proceedings Hanson asked, “Is this guy a wetback? An illegal?”
According to the commission, Hanson also asked whether the prosecutor was sure the defendant, who wasn’t present at the time, hadn’t stolen someone’s identification.
Hanson says use of slur was once ‘common’
At last month’s hearing before the Iowa Supreme Court, Hanson told the justices that with regard to the allegations made by the victim in the sexual abuse case, “I honestly thought, ‘This is a lie. It reads like bad pornography.’ I hate pornography. Pornography is lies … I still, to this day, am convinced that the arrest warrant request, the complaint, was resting on lies.”
At the time, Chief Justice Susan Christensen appeared to bristle at Hanson’s comment and questioned his equation of pornography with lies.
“Sir, are you aware that things that happen to people are pornographic in nature? And sometimes, in order for there to be an arrest warrant, someone might have to give details that are really ugly to give (and) heartbreaking to hear? Just because you’re giving the adjective ‘porn’ — what if those things actually happened to that person? Because it qualifies as porn in your mind and you hate porn, you think it’s a lie?”
“I seriously questioned it,” Hanson replied. “The other problem I had was the utter lack of interest, as far as I could tell, in the policeman attempting to corroborate what the young man said.”
Hanson then likened the decision he faced in that case with what he called the “travesty” of the testimony that was given during the U.S. Supreme Court nomination hearings for conservative Justice Brett Kavanaugh in 2018, and for Justice Clarence Thomas in 1991.
“Those were lies,” Hanson said, pounding the podium as he addressed the Iowa justices. “Televised lies! And I was appalled by that, and I thought, ‘I will not be an instrument of anyone seeking to destroy someone without any backing up of what (the alleged victim) said here.’”
As to the second matter involving the case in which Hanson used the term “wetback,” Christensen asked Hanson, “Do you think the term ‘wetback’ is offensive?”
“I’ve learned since using it that it is,” Hanson said. “I grew up in west side, working class Waterloo, and it was fairly common.”
Christensen cut Hanson off, shaking her head and telling him, “You definitely, that one, I am gonna call ‘foul’ on that, that you didn’t know it was offensive.” Hanson told the justices he was agreeable to taking whatever educational courses the court might prescribe for him but asked that he not be removed from the bench due to the heavy caseloads in Fayette County.
Justices remove Hanson from the bench
In the decision Friday to remove Hanson from the bench, Justice Dana Oxley, writing for the full court, stated that “it should go without saying that the term ‘w——‘ is a racially derogatory, highly offensive slur that does not belong in a courtroom — and especially not from the mouth of a judge … We cannot overemphasize how inappropriate it was for Magistrate Hanson to use the slur … Rather than recognize the term as the racial epithet that it is, he labels it as ‘someone’s taboo’ that he ‘apparently’ transgressed.”
In deciding that Hanson’s conduct warranted not just a suspension but his removal from the bench, the court stated that if Hanson “cannot recognize bias or prejudice in his own conduct, we cannot trust him to recognize it in those he is tasked with policing,” referring to attorneys and other officers of the court.
Hanson, the court added, “has not shown regret for his choice of words. He has not shown genuine remorse for the effect his statements likely had on the litigants. He has shown no aptitude for self-improvement. Indeed, he suggested in his brief that the commission simply provide him with a list of ‘bad words’ so that he can avoid them in conversation.”
With regard to the sexual assault case, the court found that Hanson is “unable to preside over any proceeding involving a sexual assault,” and noted that in a written brief, Hanson had explained his view of sexual assault allegations by writing, “All judges should know, and fear, false accusations of sexual crimes alleged long after the supposed events. I witnessed the televised atrocities visited upon U.S. Supreme Court Justice nominees … by women whom effective cross examinations showed to be telling falsehoods. I will never abet such ‘high-tech lynchings.’ ”
Magistrate removed from the bench for use of slur, handling of sexual assault case
The Iowa Supreme Court has removed from the bench a magistrate who questioned the veracity of an alleged sexual assault victim because he was a teenage male and asked whether a defendant in a separate case was a “wetback.”
www.thegazette.com
Duke Brennan (6'10" F/C) will take Official Visit to Iowa City April 18 & 19
- By Franisdaman
- Iowa Men's Basketball
- 82 Replies
Duke Brennan, a 6'10" 250 lb forward/center, played at Grand Canyon last season. He was at Arizona State his freshman year and Grand Canyon for the last 2 years.
In 30 games last season, he averaged 26.6 minutes, 10.4 pts, 9.2 rebs, .50 assists, .40 blocks and .80 steals.
Last season he shot 64.6% overall, he was 0-1 from three and 65.4% from the FT line.
He has heard from these schools: Ohio State, USC, Stanford, lowa, West Virginia, DePaul, Villanova, Rutgers, Arizona State, Clemson, TCU, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Seton Hall
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In 30 games last season, he averaged 26.6 minutes, 10.4 pts, 9.2 rebs, .50 assists, .40 blocks and .80 steals.
Last season he shot 64.6% overall, he was 0-1 from three and 65.4% from the FT line.
He has heard from these schools: Ohio State, USC, Stanford, lowa, West Virginia, DePaul, Villanova, Rutgers, Arizona State, Clemson, TCU, Oklahoma State, Texas Tech, Seton Hall
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Americans are now split on whether Russia is an ‘enemy,’ poll finds
- By cigaretteman
- Off Topic
- 57 Replies
The share of Americans who consider Russia an “enemy” has fallen to its lowest point since it began its full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022, according to a poll published Thursday by Pew Research Center. The shift owes largely to evolving views among Republicans amid stark changes in U.S. policy and diplomacy toward Russia and Ukraine under President Donald Trump.
Get concise answers to your questions. Try Ask The Post AI.
The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner.
The 40 percent figure brings Republicans close to attitudes toward Russia before it invaded Ukraine. In January 2022, 39 percent of Republicans viewed Russia as an enemy. The share of Republicans who view Russia as a “partner” has risen above levels before the invasion, to 12 percent.
Get concise answers to your questions. Try Ask The Post AI.The survey found the share of Americans who said Russia was an “enemy” had fallen to 50 percent, from 61 percent in April 2024 and 70 percent in March 2022, just after the invasion began.
The softening in attitudes toward Russia was far sharper among Republican voters, with 40 percent saying Russia was an enemy, down from 58 percent last year and 69 percent in March 2022. Thirty-four percent of Americans overall now describe Russia as a competitor of the United States, while just 9 percent said it was a partner.
The 40 percent figure brings Republicans close to attitudes toward Russia before it invaded Ukraine. In January 2022, 39 percent of Republicans viewed Russia as an enemy. The share of Republicans who view Russia as a “partner” has risen above levels before the invasion, to 12 percent.
Teen charged in fatal track meet stabbing granted reduced bond, house arrest
COLLIN COUNTY, Texas (Gray News) – The 17-year-old charged with stabbing another teen to death at a track meet in Texas has been granted a reduced bond.
On Monday, a Collin County judge agreed to lower Karmelo Anthony’s bond from $1 million to $250,000, according to KTVT.
Anthony will also be required to wear an ankle monitor and to stay inside his parents’ home, if they can post bond.
Defense attorneys told the judge that maintaining the $1 million bond would be “unusual” considering Anthony’s lack of criminal history, and they asked for the bond to be reduced to $150,000.
Karmelo Anthony (right), 17, is accused of fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf (left), also 17, at a high school track meet at Kuykendall Stadium on April 2.(WFAA via CNN Newsource, Frisco Police Department)
Anthony’s father also argued in court that his son is an “A” student and is the captain of both his football and track teams.
Prosecutors wanted the $1 million bond to remain in place, saying that the amount is standard for murder cases in the county.
Ultimately, the judge ruled that the bond be lowered to $250,000. If his family posts bond, Anthony will be required to stay at his parents’ house and wear an ankle monitor. If he leaves home, he will be returned to jail, KTVT reported.
Anthony, 17, is accused of fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf, also 17, at a high school track meet at Kuykendall Stadium on April 2.
District Attorney Greg Willis told KTVT the case against Anthony could go to a grand jury by the end of June.
They will decide whether it will go to trial.
Witnesses said during the track meet, Anthony was sitting in seats for Memorial High School students, but he is a student at Centennial High School, WFAA reported.
Police said witnesses saw Metcalf tell Anthony he had to move his seat to go sit with his own team in the bleachers during the track meet.
One witness told police that after being told to move, Anthony reached inside his bag and told Metcalf, “Touch me and see what happens.”
The witness said Metcalf touched Anthony, then allegedly grabbed him. Anthony then allegedly stabbed Metcalf once in the chest before running away. Metcalf then died.
Anthony told officers at the scene he was assaulted first and acted in self-defense.
The 17-year-old’s fundraiser for his legal fees, which was posted on GiveSendGo, says he’s been wrongfully charged with murder and that the stabbing was in self-defense.
As of Monday, the fundraiser had brought in more than $417,000 in donations.
“The narrative being spread is false, unjust and harmful,” the description says. “As a family of faith, we are deeply grateful for all of your support during this trying period. Your prayers and assistance mean more to us now more than ever.”
More than 30 students were listed in a redacted police report as witnesses to the stabbing, as well as a half-dozen coaches.
Metcalf’s twin, Hunter, saw his brother get stabbed in the chest.
“My other son, who was there, was holding his hands on the hole trying to save his life, he told me,” their father told KTVT. “I looked at him. His eyes, he was gone. He wasn’t breathing.”
His dad also said Metcalf was voted team MVP this past season and carried a 4.0 GPA.
KFDW said Metcalf’s funeral was held this Saturday. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help his family pay for funeral expenses.
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On Monday, a Collin County judge agreed to lower Karmelo Anthony’s bond from $1 million to $250,000, according to KTVT.
Anthony will also be required to wear an ankle monitor and to stay inside his parents’ home, if they can post bond.
Defense attorneys told the judge that maintaining the $1 million bond would be “unusual” considering Anthony’s lack of criminal history, and they asked for the bond to be reduced to $150,000.
Karmelo Anthony (right), 17, is accused of fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf (left), also 17, at a high school track meet at Kuykendall Stadium on April 2.(WFAA via CNN Newsource, Frisco Police Department)
Anthony’s father also argued in court that his son is an “A” student and is the captain of both his football and track teams.
Prosecutors wanted the $1 million bond to remain in place, saying that the amount is standard for murder cases in the county.
Ultimately, the judge ruled that the bond be lowered to $250,000. If his family posts bond, Anthony will be required to stay at his parents’ house and wear an ankle monitor. If he leaves home, he will be returned to jail, KTVT reported.
Anthony, 17, is accused of fatally stabbing Austin Metcalf, also 17, at a high school track meet at Kuykendall Stadium on April 2.
District Attorney Greg Willis told KTVT the case against Anthony could go to a grand jury by the end of June.
They will decide whether it will go to trial.
Witnesses said during the track meet, Anthony was sitting in seats for Memorial High School students, but he is a student at Centennial High School, WFAA reported.
Police said witnesses saw Metcalf tell Anthony he had to move his seat to go sit with his own team in the bleachers during the track meet.
One witness told police that after being told to move, Anthony reached inside his bag and told Metcalf, “Touch me and see what happens.”
The witness said Metcalf touched Anthony, then allegedly grabbed him. Anthony then allegedly stabbed Metcalf once in the chest before running away. Metcalf then died.
Anthony told officers at the scene he was assaulted first and acted in self-defense.
The 17-year-old’s fundraiser for his legal fees, which was posted on GiveSendGo, says he’s been wrongfully charged with murder and that the stabbing was in self-defense.
As of Monday, the fundraiser had brought in more than $417,000 in donations.
“The narrative being spread is false, unjust and harmful,” the description says. “As a family of faith, we are deeply grateful for all of your support during this trying period. Your prayers and assistance mean more to us now more than ever.”
More than 30 students were listed in a redacted police report as witnesses to the stabbing, as well as a half-dozen coaches.
Metcalf’s twin, Hunter, saw his brother get stabbed in the chest.
“My other son, who was there, was holding his hands on the hole trying to save his life, he told me,” their father told KTVT. “I looked at him. His eyes, he was gone. He wasn’t breathing.”
His dad also said Metcalf was voted team MVP this past season and carried a 4.0 GPA.
KFDW said Metcalf’s funeral was held this Saturday. A GoFundMe page has been set up to help his family pay for funeral expenses.
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Hyundai Kona rental car review....
- By NDallasRuss
- Off Topic
- 9 Replies
Building off Trad's thread, I wanted to add my own recent rental car review.
This is for the Hyundai Kona.
I picked this car up from the DFW Airport National Emerald Aisle two weeks ago. I had to drive from home to Galveston, to Round Rock, back home, and didn't want to put the miles on my own car. I had a free day, so the all-in cost for 5 days was only ~$250.
The Emerald Aisle choices were pretty unremarkable on the Friday night. There were cars, and there were other SUVs (Nissan Rogues, Ford Escapes, etc). The Kona wasn't the largest, but looked different and I wasn't familiar, so I went for it. It wasn't great.
The seats were really uncomfortable, which sucks since I was in the car for a total of 11 hours of driving.
The engine is apparently a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. Man, that's not very impressive. You can really feel the lack of horsepower when you try to get it up over 90mph. It looks like they have hybrid and electric versions, but this wasn't those. Despite the small engine, I only got about 26mpg over the trip. Might've been impacted by my driving style.
The biggest problem I had was with the Android Auto. It took forever for it to finish connecting and there didn't seem to be anything I could do to shorten the lag. Sometimes it was ~10 minutes for it to finish. While I'm driving around places I hadn't been before, it's not great to not have the map/route up on the infotainment screen. Same with not having my music playing while I'm driving around.
Beyond that, the whole thing just felt really cheap. It had a driver's side power seat, but that was about it. No power tilt wheel, no automatic liftgate.
Overall: It looks like they run from ~$27k up to ~$35k. I think I could find way better choices. I wouldn't rent it again.
/csb
This is for the Hyundai Kona.
I picked this car up from the DFW Airport National Emerald Aisle two weeks ago. I had to drive from home to Galveston, to Round Rock, back home, and didn't want to put the miles on my own car. I had a free day, so the all-in cost for 5 days was only ~$250.
The Emerald Aisle choices were pretty unremarkable on the Friday night. There were cars, and there were other SUVs (Nissan Rogues, Ford Escapes, etc). The Kona wasn't the largest, but looked different and I wasn't familiar, so I went for it. It wasn't great.
The seats were really uncomfortable, which sucks since I was in the car for a total of 11 hours of driving.
The engine is apparently a 2.0-liter four-cylinder with 147 horsepower and 132 pound-feet of torque. Man, that's not very impressive. You can really feel the lack of horsepower when you try to get it up over 90mph. It looks like they have hybrid and electric versions, but this wasn't those. Despite the small engine, I only got about 26mpg over the trip. Might've been impacted by my driving style.
The biggest problem I had was with the Android Auto. It took forever for it to finish connecting and there didn't seem to be anything I could do to shorten the lag. Sometimes it was ~10 minutes for it to finish. While I'm driving around places I hadn't been before, it's not great to not have the map/route up on the infotainment screen. Same with not having my music playing while I'm driving around.
Beyond that, the whole thing just felt really cheap. It had a driver's side power seat, but that was about it. No power tilt wheel, no automatic liftgate.
Overall: It looks like they run from ~$27k up to ~$35k. I think I could find way better choices. I wouldn't rent it again.
/csb