Christian County Chief Circuit Judge John Atkins has received a public reprimand from the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission regarding his conduct in a pair of criminal cases he oversaw.
In the three-page document released Thursday, the commission received a complaint and conducted an investigation into comments Atkins made during the criminal abuse trial of Nina Morgan last year.
The complaint filed with the judicial commission said Atkins entered the gallery during jury deliberations and spoke with the victim’s families and members of the church. It went on to say that security cameras should be required in daycare centers.
Morgan, a former First United Methodist Church daycare worker, was convicted of a misdemeanor charge of third-degree criminal abuse last year and was sentenced to one year in jail. She has since filed an appeal.
As a result of the complaint, attorneys for Paige Williams and Abby Leach, who are on trial this week for complicity to abuse stemming from the charges against Morgan and Allison Simpson, requested Atkins recuse himself from the case, which he granted. The case this week is being heard by Muhlenberg County Circuit Judge Brian Wiggins.
Morgan has filed a motion for Atkins to recuse himself in her appeal, which he denied.
The other case was a third-degree assault case involving Tarvous Haskins. The complaint said Atkins consulted with the police officer who was the victim outside the court proceedings and then used the content of the conversation during the sentencing hearing although the officer did not testify.
The complaint said Atkins took the position that as the ultimate fact finder, he had the prerogative to talk to who he wanted and investigate matters independently.
A reprimand is one of several disciplinary actions that can be taken by the judicial commission. The violations are not a criminal charge.
The report said Atkins waived formal proceedings and agreed to the reprimand.
