Judge Steps Down, Gets Deferred Sentence re Adopted Twins State Said She Gave to Bailiff's Sister
An Oklahoma judge and her husband have taken a plea bargain in a fraud case brought over the adopted twins who prosecutors alleged the couple gave to the sister of a bailiff in her courtroom to raise.
Tammy Bass-LeSure resigned yesterday from her job as an Oklahoma County district judge and received deferred adjudication today, along with her husband, in the fraud case, the Oklahoman reports.
The couple were accused of lying on adoption papers for the twins, who were formerly in foster care with the judge and her husband, and misspending some of the money provided for the care of the children. The couple lost parental rights to the children—who prosecutors said called the bailiff’s sister “mommy,” and the judge their aunt—in a closed juvenile hearing last year.
The children are now in foster care.
Earlier coverage:
ABAJournal.com: “Judge Accused of Giving Away Adopted Twins, Spending Support Payments at Casinos and Spas”
ABAJournal.com: “Defendant Judge Loses Motion to Remove DA from Fraud Case re Adoption of Twins”
