Arkansas judge agrees to quit, but denies charges of trading pretrial release for sexual favors
An Arkansas judge has agreed to resign even as he denies allegations that he lowered bail for some defendants and released others on their own recognizance in exchange for sexual favors.
Judge Timothy Parker of Carroll County District Court resigned on Saturday, the last day of his judicial term, report the New York Times, Arkansas Online, the Associated Press, the Daily Beast and KY3. He agreed to never again serve as a judge in a negotiated settlement that specifies he won’t be charged with ethical misconduct.
Though Parker disputed the sexual allegations, he did acknowledge he sometimes ordered the pretrial release of friends and former clients, and even gave them rides home from jail. Parker was one of three part-time judges, and he also had a private practice. Beginning in 2017, the three part-time positions were consolidated into one judgeship.
The Arkansas Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission claimed the misconduct occurred from 2013 to 2016. According to the commission, the allegations were supported by video statements from more than a dozen women, recorded jail conversations, and text messages. The women claimed the lenient treatment was in exchange for sexual favors, cash and prescription pills.
A special prosecutor is reviewing the commission findings, according to the commission’s executive director, David Sachar.
Parker was the second Arkansas judge recently accused of sexual improprieties. Former Judge Joseph Boeckmann of Cross County was accused in a federal indictment in October of using his official position as a judge to obtain personal services, sexual contact, and the opportunity to view and photograph defendants in compromising positions. The indictment followed an investigation by the state disciplinary commission.
Sachar told Arkansas Online that Parker and Boeckmann were anomalies. “Don’t mistake the fact that our office was effective in getting rid of two judges to mean that there is a larger problem of sexual misconduct in the judiciary,” Sachar said.
Parker told the Associated Press he denied allegations of sexual favors. Asked why he didn’t seek a hearing to contest the allegations, he said, “I have young children and I don’t want them exposed to that kind of crap.”
