Circuit Judge Destry, Blasted As “Rude” and “Discourteous” In Court, Gets A Challenger

In what may be one of the most watched campaigns for judge this year, criminal defense attorney Brian Greenwald is challenging incumbent Circuit Judge Matthew Destry.

Browardbeat.com outlined previously what many Broward Courthouse habitués say about Destry: He is periodically late to court, which is rude and discourteous to judges, jurors and defendants and everybody else in his courtroom. That piece is linked here. 

Greenwald has a more serious problem with Destry.

Last year, Destry sentenced one of Greenwald’s clients who was on probation to 60 years in prison for driving on a suspended license and having ammo in the car — violations of his probation. Prosecutors recommended 13 years.

A petition complaining about Destry’s sentence was circulated and 23,000 signed it.  Destry then backed down and let the 23-year-old go home, handing him 15 years probation.