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Tuesday, October 5, 2010

Will the "Hanging Judge" Sentence Himself if Convicted?

Recently, an anonymous person has been making comments on this blog that claims I am some sort of anti-government character because I have the audacity to criticize police and prosecutors. I'm supposed to believe, according to this person, that cops always tell the truth, that judges always are fair, and that prosecutors do the work of the angels.

This story from Atlanta gives a different story about our so-called public servants. The federal judge arrested in this account is known for being a "hanging judge" and he especially gives stiff prison sentences to people convicted of drug offenses.

According to the story:
A longtime federal judge was freed on a $50,000 bond Monday after his arrest on federal charges that he bought cocaine and other illegal drugs while involved in a sexual relationship with an exotic dancer for the past several months.

Senior U.S. District Judge Jack T. Camp Jr. was arrested late Friday night near Sandy Springs. Camp, 67, is accused of purchasing cocaine and marijuana, along with prescription painkillers that which he shared with an exotic dancer he met last spring at the Goldrush Showbar in Atlanta, according to an FBI agent’s affidavit for his arrest.

Camp met the dancer, identified in the affidavit as CI-1, when he purchased a private dance from her, according to the affidavit by Special Agent Mary Jo Mangrum, a member of a task force investigating public corruption. He returned the next night and purchased another dance and sex from her, the affidavit said. The two then began a relationship which revolved around drug use and sex.

In some cases he bought drugs from the dancer, while in others the pair purchased them from other parties, according to the affidavit. Camp sometimes took loaded guns to the deals.

Camp’s arrest came after a buy from an undercover agent, authorities said.
But it gets even better:
As a judge, Camp had a reputation as a tough sentencer. In 2009, he sentenced former doctor Phil Astin to 10 years in prison. Astin had prescribed drugs to Chris Benoit, the professional wrestler who killed his wife, son and then himself in 2007. Camp said that the good works performed by the doctor were outweighed by his indiscriminate prescribing of drugs that caused at least two other people to die from overdoses.

Last year, Camp rejected a plea deal of an indicted pharmaceutical executive, saying the proposed 37-month prison sentence did not “accurately reflects the seriousness of the conduct.” Jared Wheat had earlier pleaded guilty to charges in connection with illegal importation of knockoff prescription drugs from Central America. Wheat later was given a 50-month sentence.
There's even more:
The affidavit details a series of drug transaction in which Camp is described as securing Roxicodone and other drugs for his personal use and describes Camp as carrying a semi-automatic handgun to protect the stripper and himself during drug deals. Federal law carries separate charges for carrying a firearm in drug transactions.

Last Friday, in recorded telephone conversation, Camp told the stripper he would try to help her because she was having trouble getting a job with her record. The judge offered to talk to a potential employer if necessary, according to the affidavit. During the conversation, the two of them discussed having a second woman join them night but Camp at least initially thought it too risky to do drugs with someone he didn’t trust because he said his “situation was precarious.”

Later Friday, the stripper asked Camp if he could follow her to a drug deal to protect her because she was dealing with a dealer she did not know well. According to the affidavit, Camp responded: “I’ll watch your back anytime….I not only have my little pistol, I’ve got my big pistol so, uh, we’ll take care of any problems that come up.”

That evening, according to the affidavit, Camp and the stripper met in Publix parking lot on Shallowford Road and the two drove to the parking lot of the Velvet Room on Chamblee Tucker Road where they met with an undercover law-enforcement agent posing as a dealer.

Ten minutes after the 7:35 p.m. drug transaction, FBI agents arrested Camp and recovered the drugs and two pistols from Camp’s car, including a .380-caliber Sig Sauer with a full magazine and a round in the chamber.

“The hammer of the gun was cocked,” the affidavit said.
Now, in most federal cases, the presence of a firearm -- even an unloaded one that is in the trunk of a car or in another room of a house -- is rolled into the drug charges as "using a firearm" with the transaction. It will be interesting to see if this judge gets the same treatment from the U.S. Government that he gives to everyone else -- or if the feds will protect their own.

To be honest, I am amazed that the feds even pursued this case, given the way that government agents look out for one another. Stay tuned here. If there is justice, this man will spend the rest of his life in prison.

I need to let my readers know that I am NOT a fan of the Drug War. I believe that the Drug War needs to be ended yesterday. No, I don't take drugs (although I am sure that the same people who have called me a "child molester" probably will claim I am a coke fiend, too), but the harm to this country because of the "war on drugs" is greater than any harm that comes from people voluntarily using drugs.

So, a federal judge who threw away the key when other drug offenders entered his courtroom now is going to get a taste of his own medicine. I cannot rejoice when anyone is sentenced to prison for drugs, but I must admit that this case presents its own delicious irony.

28 comments:

Cyril Lucar said...

Oh, Bill, the thought of you as a coke fiend is more frightening than I can bear. I think you should stick to cognac and port.

Doc Ellis 124 said...

Shared. Thank you

liberranter said...

Great article, Bill. At least something positive resulted from the puerile rantings of the anonymous trolltard.

Anonymous said...

I admit I'm none to thrill about gun charges being added when the person has the legal right to carry guns. I figure charges for buying drugs should be enough but that's not my choice to make.

Anyhow, it's ironic that folks like me are called anarchists when all we want is law enforcement et. al. to obey the highest law in the land.

Anonymous said...

Only someone who is dirty could claim this site, which is LOADED with facts, research and in-depth analysis somehow is "mis-leading." That is simply laughable. Only someone who is dirty could take the desperate cry on this blog for law enforcement to act lawfully, and twist it into anti-government and anarchy. Once again, the drive-by troll illustrates what he stands for - a lie is the truth and what is wrong is right. This blog is about one thing IMO, holding law enforcement to the standard on which they swore an oath - to uphold the constitution. You can't get any more pro-government, pro-lawful behavior than that.

Anonymous said...

"Camp sometimes took loaded guns to the deals."

Hypocrisy aside, it would be quite pointless to take an unloaded gun to the deals, now wouldn't it? In addition, carry cocked and locked so you can respond quickly. Carrying a .380 to a drug deal seems a bit underpowered to me, though.

Kerwyn said...

An ADA in Colorado just got busted for something similar. Sex, drugs, inside information and married women in his case.

There are many honest judges out there, but those that are not destroy lives. So how many decisions did he render while stoned?

KDaw said...

Excellent article as usual. Occasionally, there is always someone who will post here accusing you of being "anti government/law enforcement". Those of us who read your blog regularly know that nothing is further from the truth. Those accusers need only to read the news. It is so easy to prove corruption, almost on a daily basis. Any system of check and balances for those in law enforcement, prosecutors, and judges has long been abandoned. They run rampant, as this incident proves, with no fear of reprimand or consequence. This particular judge would likely still be participating in the bad behavior that he so harshly judged others for had he not been caught "with his pants down". Why is it that one must take a drug test for a minimum wage job,and submit to random testing to maintain employment? Should those people taking important positions of authority not be subjected to the same standard? In my opinion they should. Because of this judge's harsh treatment and sentencing, I hope he is prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.

Thank you for your time and dedication to exposing these corrupt individuals. I enjoy reading your blog and the frank discussions here. You have made a difference.

KC Sprayberry said...

Actually, Bill, I think you are anti-government - as government stands now. Those in government positions think of themselves as the elite and therefore not bound by the same laws they expect the rest of us to obey. This is proven day after day when we hear stories of government officials caught in any number of compromising positions - and those are only the ones stupid enough to go further than their colleagues will tolerate. One has to wonder how many others commit these same kinds of crimes out of the public eye but keep their activities moderated so as not to attract too much attention. Keep on reporting your observations. It's certainly eye-opening if not enjoyable to see these people yanked off their pedestals.

Rob said...

Keep in mind that those who wish to preserve a status quo for themselves are more successful when they appeal to the interests of others. Typically this involves a logical fallacy known as the fallacy of composition. This fallacy claims that, because X is a Y and Z is true for X, then Z must be true for all Ys.

We can see how the troll is claiming that, because Dr. Anderson opposes the status quo, he must oppose all order as well. This is the fallacy of composition, plain and simple. In no way does it follow that opposing the current order of things means opposing any possible order.

Hope this helps.

Carola said...

For the life of me I don't understand what it would have to do with being 'anti-government' to ask the judicial, excutive and legislative to adhere to not only basic rules but to what is the law of the land.

I was born into a country that killed millions of people and claimed it is lawful and for years people were running with the flow, not thinking for themselves and not daring to question authority. It was America who brought democracy and the rule of law to my country and never in my wildest dreams did I think something like this could happen in America. I came to America, believing in American values and the American justice system.

What we have learned when we went to school in Germany was that it is everyone's civic duty to question the government and hold their feet to the fire. My allegiance is to my country (I consider America to be my home) and not to a bunch of elected officials or government workers.

I am from Europe, I am not anti-government by any stretch of the immagination but what I am against is the blind sanctioning of everything the government does!

I always thought that there were people in jail who were innocent but I thought that was due to a combination of unfortunate circumstances I had no idea how far reaching this is and what means police and prosecutor will employ to confirm their preconceived notion. And their goal is not to find the truth but to convict, regardless of if someone is innocent or not.

I don't think it is until you get questioned by police and once you read the police report and what you and your 10-year-old said cannot be reconciled with what you see written in the police report. It is not until a 10-year-old boy, who has done NOTHING, gets threatened to be shot that you know that there is something seriously wrong with the way the police conducts itself. It has nothing to do with the law, it has everything to do with intimidation.

That has nothing to do with being anti-government, that has something to do with asking those who are in positions of power, like police, prosecutors, probation officers and judges to adhere to the law that they have taken oath to protect.

It is much easier to run with the flock and not put yourself out there when you see a wrong because there will always be people who will attack you personally, as it has been done to Dr. Anderson.

It is the job of an educator to make people think. And that is what Dr. Anderson does! It is always interesting though that those who have no real arguments have to resort to personal attacks and lies.

And for full disclosure purposes, I am the mother of the 14-year old in Phoenix.

KDaw said...

Very well said Carola. I hope you're ordeal is resolved quickly and will keep your family in my thoughts and prayers. May your child emerge from this a strong man and go on to do good things.

jp said...

I have lost all faith in the US Government and no longer give any government employee the benefit of the doubt. I have no problem with being labeled anti-government and would much rather be an anarchist vs. a parasite. I know there are a few good apples, but I consider those few to be exceptions to the rule. It is a pleasant surprise when I encounter those rare beings.

IMO - There is no bigger obstacle to our pursuit of happiness than the US government…

Trish said...

Carola, thank you for sharing with us. I too once believed in the system, but it is broken and desperately needs to be fixed. I once thought all you had to do was tell the truth and everything would be ok, but that is not the case in this country today. You have gained a lot of supporters on here, when Bill and Kerwyn exposed what is happening with your son. I just am shocked, though I shouldn't be, at the stupidity of the charges against him and the thought that he could have done what they are claiming in an attic in June in Arizona!!! We so need common sense to return to America those who are in charge and that goes all the way from the White House to the local law enforcement!!!

Anonymous said...

What Carola said.

maria said...

I'm praying for you and your son carola! I am also from Europe and I hope that Germany will get involved in this issue and give you and your son support! Can't believe they are attacking kids now to get their Mondale act money! How low will they sink

Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve said...

Pasted below is the URL for a story from today’s issue of USA Today about prosecutorial abuse and a Louisiana case the Supreme Court is considering that might remove some of the absolute immunity from damages caused when prosecutors have hidden exculpatory evidence or flat out lied to obtain a conviction. The figures cited are as frightening as any Dr. Anderson has cited and paint a picture of a system dedicated to convicting the accused regardless of what the evidence proves. In the case under consideration, a man was convicted of murder when the New Orleans prosecutor failed to disclose the results of lab tests that exonerated him. He was within 30 days of execution when his new attorneys found the report that the NOPD had in its possession the entire time.

This one chilling quote from the article simply reinforces what Dr. Anderson has written about for some time now.

“Although USA TODAY's investigation documented misconduct in 201 cases, it did not find a single federal prosecutor who was disbarred. Only one, Richard Convertino, was prosecuted. He was acquitted.”

I want Troll Boy to crawl out from under the Alexander Road Bridge and tell us again about how all of this is an anti-government, pro-criminal mindset. To paraphrase what cartoonist Walt Kelly once wrote in his Pogo comic strip, “We have met the enemy and he is an out of control system of prosecutorial abuse.”

http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/judicial/2010-10-05-federal-prosecutor-immunity_N.htm

Anonymous said...

"Recently, an anonymous person has been making comments on this blog that claims I am some sort of anti-government character because I have the audacity to criticize police and prosecutors. I'm supposed to believe, according to this person, that cops always tell the truth, that judges always are fair, and that prosecutors do the work of the angels." Not the words that I have typed. There is nothing wrong with an individual or group questioning the actions of an individual or group. It's your right. There is nothing wrong with speaking your mind about how you feel within reason. The constitution does not allow you to say anything you want. To some degree you should be applauded for speaking your thoughts. You should also be held to the same high standard that you hold law enforcement. As an educator people look to you when you speak as someone who knows what they are talking about. Your posts however are reckless and irresponsible. You mislead people with terms that they don't understand and put your anti-law enforcement spin on them. Your agenda is to convince anyone who will read that all law enforcment is corrupt.

This site is far from filled with facts. There may have been some research and analysis done by Kerwyn but she is still in over her head on some of what she is doing. It seems that she at least has the right intention in trying to expose what she may believe is wrong doing.

There is nothing wrong for pointing out the individual acts committed by a few bad seeds similar to the judge you posted. Those individuals deserve more than just the typical sentence. But because you can identify a few does not mean that the more than 800,00 law enforcement officers in America lie or are corrupt. When you make that accusation you become anti-law enforcement. That's a cry that can be seen in every post you make. So yes your anti-law enforcement. Your agenda is not to expose those doing wrong but to convince as many as you can that all of law enforcement is corrupt.

The USA Today article identified 201 cases of misconduct out of around forty five thousand. That's less then half of one percent. Still to much in my view but not the sweeping corruption that Bill or a few on here want all to believe.

I welcome the uninformed attacks!

William L. Anderson said...

Hey, troll. Why is it that cops were the originators of the term "testilying"? I had a friend who was a police officer in Chattanooga, and he told me that cops regularly expected him and others to cover up their affairs with other women, they lied in court, and abused others.

It was not just a few cops; it was a large number of people with whom he worked. This was someone who got into police work "to make a difference," but he realized that honest people had to get out.

The USA Today investigation looked at the most egregious cases. However, I can point out case after case in which there was no "official" misconduct, yet the prosecutors lied. I'll be posting on one in the near future in which the prosecutor told whoppers at a sentencing, but nothing will happen to him.

But, I still am waiting to hear why almost all cops are "honest," especially since most of them admit to "testilying."

I'm not anti-law enforcement. I am anti-lying, and cops are notorious liars, and you know it.

Oh, do you deny that "testilying" was a term invented by cops?

Throckmorton P. Gildersleeve said...

Welcome to the surface, Troll Boy.

As one of your so-called “uninformed attackers,” let me make this as clear for you as I can. Dr. Anderson is not anti-law enforcement. He exposes those egregious abuses of office and power that some of your brethren commit on a daily basis in order to convict whoever has been designated as guilty by one of your “one half of one percenters.” If you really consider the witchcraft that passed for forensics and the interrogation tactics in the Craft trial as an example of good police work and proper procedure then there is no help for those within your jurisdiction. Your hero Bull Connor died years ago and you are channeling his spirit.

As for Dr. Anderson misleading people with terms they do not understand, you may not understand them but we who follow his blog do. Some of us have learned more about police work than we ever wanted to know and that will make unjustly depriving people of their liberty even harder for your one half of one percent of the profession. No one on this blog has ever accused the 800,000 officers of being corrupt. What they have demanded is that law enforcement prosecute those whom evidence points to as guilty, not someone who is merely a convenient target. If it is anti-law enforcement to expect police and prosecutors to do their jobs fairly then count me in that group. It will be a misreading of my position and philosophy but that won’t be a first for you.

Kerwyn said...

Anon,

So to use your logic, it would be ok for 201 people to spend their lives in prison or be executed out of 45,000?

I would suggest you go look at the innocence project. I offer to you a man who was executed in Texas even tho hundreds rallied to prevent it. Now years later the court ordered the case reopened because... he didn't do it. But you know, oops he is dead right? Aww too bad right?

"better that ten guilty persons escape than that one innocent suffer" Blackstone, 1760

I guess this whole idea escapes you eh? You know, the one this country was founded on?

So by your theory, it is just fine that we execute an innocent.

As I stated to you in another post. If you want to go find the pat on the back site, this ain't it. If your interested in stopping the corrupt hop on board.

William L. Anderson said...

I need to say one other thing. Kerwyn is NOT in over her head. Anyone who has testified in more than 500 cases and has been on the witness stand many, many times, is not someone who is ignorant of the law.

Furthermore, no one ever has impeached her testimony. As an academic who has published a lot of papers in academic journals, I can tell you she is a great researcher and finds things all the time that often escape the other "experts."

No, I don't think that ALL cops are corrupt. Police work, in my view, just like prosecution, is or at least should be honorable work.

I object to the fact that the liars in those professions also are often successful in driving out the honest people.

Anonymous said...

"This site is far from filled with facts. There may have been some research and analysis done by Kerwyn but she is still in over her head on some of what she is doing. It seems that she at least has the right intention in trying to expose what she may believe is wrong doing."

What are your credentials then?

Anonymous said...

Everyone keeps acting as if being "anti-government" were a bad thing....that's the brainwashing talking.

Anonymous said...

Our little anon troll just amazes me time after time! I have yet to see one bit (just give me something tiny) of evidence or anything else to prove what you are saying. I'm not asking for much. You make the assumption we are all ignorant followers, yet you have offered nothing to prove that. I guess from now on, we should all give our education & professions so you will know. Honestly, you crack me up. You also crack up fellow officers who know about the corruption. Are you local? Does the name Billy Long mean anything to you? Does the name James Spates mean anything to you? Just curious.

Please, I beg of you, show us something.

You want to claim that what Dr. Anderson says & does is not qualified under the first ammendment? Think again. Everything he has ever said regarding a person has been fact. If it's in his opinion, he states that. If that isn't the Constitution working, I don't know what is!!

God help you & maybe someday He will show you the light. Too bad it may be too late. You know, that little thing called Judgement Day? Good luck & give me something good.

UGA Mom

Rob said...

Again, I'd like to point out the troll's fallacy of claiming that, because Dr. Anderson opposes the status quo (that is, the established order), he therefore opposes all order. To claim that is to commit a total non sequitur, which I think is one form of the fallacy of composition.

William L. Anderson said...

Hey, UGA Mom,

I guess Georgia and us (UT) this Saturday get to play for the right to challenge Vandy for the SEC East cellar. I actually like Richt and wonder what has happened to his program.

It's hard for any SEC coach to stay on top year after year. Unfortunately, now that Satan has taken residence in Tuscaloosa (Bear Bryant kicked him out of Hell), Bama may win and win until the Second Coming!

Anonymous said...

LOL Bill! Sadly, that is the state we're in now. What's worse, I think Vandy can beat both of us!!! We also like Richt, but he has lost control of a great program. It's hard to throw him under the bus, but we're leaning that way in this house.

You are right about Satan! UGH! We actually found ourselves pulling for FL last weekend which is very, very scary. The line for the Bama/SC game is only 6, so maybe the oddsmakers think the old ball coach can pull one out against the devil's son.

I wonder if the troll will take this out of context & insist that we are devil worshippers!!! :-)

Good luck to both of our Alma Mater's this weekend....we need it.

UGA Mom