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Wednesday, February 19, 2014

THE VIEW FROM THE OTHER SIDE OF THE BENCH

This is one for the "What was she thinking file?" or more appropriately , "Clearly she wasn't thinking". Several sources have confirmed that Superior Court Judge Thelma Santos, wife of Defense Attorney Hubert "Hubie" Santos , is apparently under judicial review. The review, being conducted by what one source called Judge's IAD, (Internal Affairs Department). is the result of verbal threats allegedly made by Judge Santos to shoot a Hartford Police Officer recently.


 The incident apparently began recently after a Hartford Police Officer was dispatched to the Juvenile Detention Facility at 920 Broad Street in Hartford. Judge Santos is apparently assigned to the Juvenile Court , sitting as  a Superior Court Judge there.


The officer, after arriving at the facility and found an open parking space and after parking his cruiser went about his business. The space he apparently parked in was reserved for Judge Santos from what sources said, but the sign marking the space as reserved was obstructed by snow.


As the officer finished up with his business, he was getting ready to leave and was apparently getting his weapon back out of a gun locker and , again , according to several sources, the officer was approached by Judge Santos who made a comment to the officer along the lines of  " you better hurry up and get that gun back before I shoot you for parking in my space"


Now we all know , everyone has a bad day. But we also hear all the time about Police Officers being held to a higher standard. Shouldn't that higher standard also apply to a Superior Court Judge when it comes to verbal threats against a Police Officer, no matter what the reason?


There is no confirmation as to whether Judge Santos may face any criminal charges for her role in the threatening of the Officer,  The investigation is ongoing and sources have  confirmed that Judge Santos apparently visited the Hartford Police Department accompanied by her attorney, James Wade . Judge Santos apparently apologized to the officer she allegedly threatened, according to sources


The CT Law Tribune lists Santos as a Superior Court Judge, Middletown Court for Juvenile Matters


Online records show that Santos was confirmed as a Superior Court Judge  in February of 2012 "That the nomination by His Excellency, the Governor, of the Honorable Thelma A. Santos of West Hartford to be a Judge of the Superior Court, to serve for a term of eight years from March 9, 2012, is approved and confirmed, and she is appointed a Judge of the Superior Court for said term."


Now lets wait and see who will claim this as an "exclusive" story first.


 The Judicial Judge Review Report will be posted once it is available.

7 comments:

Anonymous said...

Like said before, some people who think because they work in the high places think they are above the law...she should have just kept her mouth shut, and maybe waited a minute or two to see if the Officer was going to leave, or better yet, she should have chosen her words better, it just amuses me and probably others, when people like this (Judge) think their "shit" doesn't stink.

Anonymous said...

I thought justice was supposed to be blind. Clearly in this case it wasn't. If the average citizen threatened to shoot a police officer, they would be in custody in probably under 30 seconds flat. Why not Judge Santos?

Anonymous said...

The officer probably knew the judge's husband, hubie santos is good at getting slime released, people like Eddie Perez and Michael Skakel, so the same would probably apply to his wife

Anonymous said...

The judge was clearly wrong but these police officers who think the rules don't apply to them are getting out of control. They park wherever they please, speed when not responding to calls, domestic violence arrests, illegal discharge of weapons....all without consequence. Hartford officers are very familiar with this facility it would be surprising to think they didn't know reserved spots.

KEVIN BROOKMAN said...

I believe the officer was relatively new and maybe had never been in that lot before. The issue you make regarding the sense of entitlement is a valid one, but I think the Police Administration is doing a good job of addressing that and working hard to earn the public's trust again. And why does a judge or anyone else, except maybe the handicap, deserve reserved parking spaces. Should it be easier for a judge to park on public property than actual members of the public?

Anonymous said...

Kevin, I saw the pictures you posted....I see no sign there, but I do see something printed on the parking spot behind the car on the ground level, what is painted on the ground. Either way, there is no upright sign in the ground in front of the parking spot, no sign, no reserve parking area...it could have been anyone parked in that spot, and she still had no right suggesting that this Officer move, nor anyone else.

Anonymous said...

The Judge was out of line. However,
she will not be penalized. Remember
she is above the law. She makes decisions on peoples lives every day. Maybe her husband can defend her. Pay up Mrs Honorable Judge.