Circuit Judge Matthew Destry, who was defeated for re-election last month, has been charged with exchanging light sentencing for political help in his campaign.
“Your actions create the appearance of a quid pro quo exchange of political support for favorable judicial action,” wrote the Florida Judicial Qualifications Commission in a complaint made public today.
Destry was accused of meeting with political activist Vicente Thrower and Rev.Alan B. Jackson to discuss the sentencing of a defendant “outside the presence of the State Attorney and Defendant, and without the knowledge of either party.”
Thrower was a political supporter of Destry, according to the JQC.
During an hour-long meeting at Mangos restaurant on East. Las Olas Boulevard, Thrower and Jackson urged Destry to reduce the 60-year prison sentence for defendant Herbert Smith Jr., who was charged with probation violation in burglary and robbery cases.
Shortly afterwards, Destry suspended the sentence after public testimony from Thrower and Jackson.
[vc_btn title=”More on Judge Destry” style=”outline” color=”primary” link=”url:http%3A%2F%2Fwww.browardbeat.com%2Fbroward-circuit-judge-matt-destry-charged-with-ethics-violations%2F|title:More%20on%20Judge%20Destry|target:%20_blank|”][vc_message message_box_style=”3d” message_box_color=”turquoise”]By Buddy Nevins, BrowardBeat.com, excerpt posted on SouthFloridaReporter.com Sept. 30, 2016Related Stories[/vc_message]
