Maryland judge pleads guilty to letting air out of cleaning lady’s tire, gets $500 fine
By Sarah Karush, APWednesday, October 28, 2009
Md. judge pleads guilty to vehicle tampering
LA PLATA, Md. — A Maryland judge has apologized for engaging in a bit of vigilante justice when he let the air out of the tire of a courthouse employee who parked in a restricted area.
Charles County Circuit Judge Robert C. Nalley entered a guilty plea and was given a $500 fine Wednesday for tampering with a vehicle at the courthouse where he usually presides. He also said he was ashamed that he let the air out of the courthouse cleaning woman’s tire and said he was “embarrassed for the community.” A visiting judge who handled the case also required Nalley to write a “heartfelt letter of apology” to Jean Washington, the woman whose tire he deflated.
Nalley has been suspended from hearing criminal cases since the Aug. 10 incident. He could face sanctions from state officials.
