Siegelman Judge Mark E Fuller got off scot-free for Domestic Violence, just like Ray Rice...

[Octafish]

Seems the authorities are hoping Judge Fuller gets the help he so desperately needs to keep his lifelong gig -- per the great DUer BradBlog, who brought this to our attention in LBN:



Federal Judge Who Presided Over Siegelman Case & Who Recently Beat His Own Wife Bloody Strikes Deal

Last edited Sat Sep 6, 2014, 01:35 AM - Edit history (1)
Source: BRAD BLOG

BREAKING: Federal Judge Who Presided Over Siegelman Case and Who Recently Beat His Own Wife Bloody Strikes Deal to Avoid Prosecution

Mark Fuller's charges to be dropped, record expunged following court-approved drug and alcohol evaluation and successful completion of once-a-week domestic violence program...

While Don Siegelman continues to serve out a 6.5 year prison sentence for something that 113 bipartisan former state Attorneys General argue has never ever been a crime until the former Democratic Governor of Alabama was charged with it, the federal U.S. District Court judge who presided over the trial and sentenced him has now struck a deal to avoid his own prosecution all together after having beaten his wife bloody in an Atlanta hotel room last month.

As we reported in an update last week, Judge Mark Fuller --- appointed to a lifetime job on the federal bench by George W. Bush in 2002 --- had reportedly checked into an unspecified "treatment program" in hopes of avoiding prosecution after being charged in August with domestic battery. Police reported at the time that they discovered the federal judge had dragged his wife around the hotel room by her hair, kicked her, and struck her several times in the mouth, leaving her with lacerations on her face, bruises on her legs, and blood found on the bathroom tub.

In court on Friday, Fuller struck a pre-trial deal to avoid prosecution entirely, despite reports that he had also beaten his previous wife as well, according to records from his 2012 divorce. Those records are said to have included accusations of drug abuse, domestic violence and infidelity with his court bailiff. The divorce papers were mysteriously sealed by the court at the time against the wishes of his former wife.

According to AP this afternoon, following the arrest on domestic abuse charges with his new wife, who has similarly charged that Fuller had an affair with his law clerk, it appears that Fuller will, once again, get off the hook...

FULL STORY: http://www.bradblog.com/?p=10797

Edit: Details above, as well as full story, now updated with additional information.

[Sopkoviak]

1. But how many yards did he gain last season?

It's an important bit of information to consider.

[Octafish]

3. Good point, re forgiveness. Fuller smirked when he railroaded Siegelman into the Big Yard.

Here's how he looked after the Siegelman came back with the desired results:



Alabama Judicial Scandal Could Taint Many Cases, Not Just Siegelman’s

Posted on May 19, 2012 by Andrew Kreig
Washington's Blog

EXCERPT...

The Siegelman jury provided a mixed verdict on June 15, 2006. Minutes later, the rarely photographed Fuller invited freelance photo-journalist Phil Fleming into judicial chambers to commemorate the occasion.

Fleming has released to me his copy of the private portrait (shown above). The blunt-speaking Fleming also told me that he advised the judge during the photo-shoot to stifle what Fleming told him was a “Cheshire cat” smile in order to look sufficiently dignified.

That implication of bias is congruent with testimony by Alabama attorney Dana Jill Simpson, who helped make this case nationally famous in 2007 and then later in the 60 Minutes broadcast. Simpson, at right, was a longtime Republican operative (and now a political independent) who says she worked with Karl Rove and others as a confidential opposition researcher while also earning large sums in the government contracts field.

In sworn statements in 2007, she described Republican plots beginning in 2002 whereby the Justice Department would indict Siegelman with the assistance of “Karl” in order to remove the state’s most popular Democrat from politics.

CONTINUED...

http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/05/alabama-judicial-scandal-could-taint-many-cases-not-just-siegelmans.html

[christx30]

15. How many platinum records he sell last year?

Chris Brown might have an opinion on that one too.

[OnyxCollie]

2. K&R. nt

[Octafish]

5. Judge Fuller accepts pre-trial diversion in domestic violence case, enters court program

Posted: Sep 05, 2014 11:33 AM EDT
By Mark Wilder - email

MONTGOMERY, AL (WSFA) - In a statement released on Friday morning, Judge Mark. E. Fuller revealed that he has accepted an offer of pre-trial diversion in his domestic violence case before the Atlanta Magistrate Court. The Atlanta court offers pre-trial intervention and diversion programs for some defendants in treatment programs.

Fuller was charged with misdemeanor battery after Atlanta police arrested him on August 8 at the Ritz Carlton Hotel following a 911 call from his wife. He was stripped of his cases following his August 10 arrest.

His statement:

Today, I accepted an offer of pre-trial diversion to resolve matters pending in the Atlanta Magistrate Court. I reached this difficult decision after consulting with my family, and deciding that it was in everyone's best interests to put this incident behind us. While I regret that my decision means that the full and complete facts regarding this incident will likely not come out, I have no doubt that it is what is best for all involved.

This incident has been very embarrassing to me, my family, friends and the court. I deeply regret this incident and look forward to working to resolve these difficulties with my family, where they should be resolved. As difficult as this situation is, I hope that you can respect the need to let my family heal as we move forward with addressing our private and personal family issues. I look forward to completing the family counseling that I voluntarily began several weeks ago and to successfully completing the requirements of the diversion. I also look forward to addressing the concerns of the Court and hopefully returning to full, active status in the Middle District of Alabama.

Fuller's attorney, Barry Ragsdale, told WSFA 12 News that Fuller has gone through an alcohol and drug evaluation which is a standard requirement in such cases. He says Fuller does not have an alcohol or drug problem.

CONTINUED...

http://www.wsfa.com/story/26457986/judge-fuller-accepts-pre-trial-diversion

Thank you, OnyxCollie! Justice depends on more than Just Us.

[JEB]

4. Brad Blog is a treasure.

Real reporting.

[Octafish]

7. True. So's M Collins, first on Justice Kagan's role in the injustice to Gov. Don Siegelman...

Elena Kagan - Willing Accomplice

By Michael Collins

Then, when Siegelman appealed his case to the Supreme Court in 2009, President Obama's Attorney General dispatched Solicitor General Elena Kagan to argue against the appeal in November.

Before accepting the case, Elena Kagan knew or should have known: that the U.S. Attorney who began the Siegelman investigation was closely tied to Karl Rove; that Siegelman never benefited personally from the contribution to an education funding initiative; that the case was so outrageous, forty-four attorneys general petitioned Congress; and, that the presiding judge in the case owned a major interest in a defense firm that received a $178 million federal contract between Siegelman's indictment and trial, a massive conflict of interest.

Most revealing, before her argument against the former governor's appeal, Kagan knew or should have known the following. After two charges had been dropped in a 2009 appeal, Justice Department attorneys recommended a twenty year sentence instead of the seven years already rendered. Fewer offenses for sentencing meant thirteen additional years by the strange logic of federal justice.
Kagan knew or should have known all this and more. That didn't stop her from arguing that Don Siegelman should be kept in jail. ...

That judgment is that Elena Kagan was a willing accomplice in one of the most outrageous political prosecutions of our time. Why should anyone ever trust her?

Her nomination to the Supreme Court of the United States should be rejected unanimously.

SOURCE: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=389x8614514

PS: Thank you, JEB! Brad Blog and Michael Collins are chums and great DUers.

[JEB]

9. I guess we get the lesser of two evils on the Supreme Court too. Argh!

I always read your posts. Some much information compiled with links. Thank you for all your work.

[questionseverything]

10. brad is so good he was personally targeted in the hbgary plots

http://www.bradblog.com/?p=8351

[Faux pas]

6. Disgusting!

[Octafish]

8. Ray Rice says he’s “in good spirits”

Posted by Michael David Smith
ProFootballTalk.com on September 9, 2014, 1:09 PM EDT

Ray Rice says he is doing well today, one day after being released by the Ravens and suspended by the NFL following the publication of a video showing him punching his wife.

Rice told Josina Anderson of ESPN that he and his wife, Janay, are leaning on each other.

“I have to be strong for my wife. She is so strong. We are in good spirits. We have a lot of people praying for us and we’ll continue to support each other,” Rice said. “I have to be there for [Janay] and my family right now and work through this.”

Janay Rice also spoke to Anderson and said she would like to be left alone.

“I love my husband. I support him,” Janay Rice said. “I want people to respect our privacy in this family matter.”

SOURCE: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/09/09/ray-rice-says-hes-in-good-spirits/

It's like there's a script -- a most disgusting story.

[Faux pas]

11. It's funny

how I don't care how the wife beater feels. The only press coverage I want to see is when his trial starts. It's all about the Benjamins.

[DFW]

14. "good spirits?"

Like Jack Daniels and Johnnie Walker?

[OnlinePoker]

16. Why is the wife allowed to drop the charges?

If there is clear video evidence of an offence, are the cops not allowed to charge him? What it he had tried to kill her? Would his wife be allowed to drop the charges then? I know some states have laws that evidence of domestic violence is enough for an arrest, but I guess that wasn't the case here.

[Rex]

12. Two or three sets of laws.

Little people. Connected people. Celebrities.

[riqster]

13. Kick and rec.

[bullwinkle428]

17. Charlie Pierce brought this up earlier today, in a magnificent way!

"...But there was another case of domestic violence in the news yesterday, one that got obliterated by the Ray Rice episode. Mark Fuller is a judge in the federal district court in Alabama, and not an obscure one. It was Fuller who presided over the trial and conviction of former Alabama governor Don Siegelman, which stank more than a little, and which made Fuller famous among federal district judges in the South. In August, Fuller was arrested for knocking his wife around an Atlanta hotel.

About a minute into the call, as the initial dispatcher patches an ambulance dispatcher into the call, the woman identified as Kelli Fuller, 41, can be heard saying 'I hate you, I hate you." A male voice responds: "I hate you too" followed by dull noises in the background. The woman's voice can be heard loudly repeating: "Help me, please. Please help me. He's beating on me." The initial dispatcher tells the ambulance dispatcher: "She says that she's in a domestic fight and I can hear him hitting her now."

Fuller was busted that night, on a misdemeanor. And yesterday, he took a plea deal. Fuller will have to go to counseling once a week for 24 weeks and, if he manages to complete that terrifying emotional obstacle course, his arrest will be expunged completely. It will be like the whole thing never happened. In the meantime, of course, Fuller will go back to his day job, with full pay and benefits, because the only way Fuller can be fired is if Congress impeaches him."


http://www.esquire.com/blogs/politics/A_Tale_Of_Two_Thugs

[Octafish]

20. Thank you for the heads-up, bullwinkle 428!

The 911 operator witnessed domestic violence commited by a federal judge, a serious crime and a mark of a corrupted character.

[Stuart G]

18. k and r...nt

[sabrina 1]

19. 'Charges dropped'! Unbelievable! Where is Congress on this case? How much more do they

need to do the right thing?

[Ilsa]

21. Has this story made it to liberal radio stations?

Stephanie Miller? The Ed Show? TRMS? Other shows on MSNBC?

[Octafish]

24. Found this on Verdict with Dan Abrams...

No video or transcript, yet...

http://www.nbcnews.com/video/verdict-with-dan-abrams/23399577

...Thank you for the heads-up, Ilsa. Knowing how much Corporate McPravda loves Just-Us, I'd never have looked.

[HereSince1628]

22. Rice got off "Scot Free?"

Hmm. He wasn't sentenced to DEATH, but I'd have sworn that there has been SOME accountability.

[Octafish]

23. You are right. I should have said ''Jail Time.''

If we wanted to talk Justice, someone punching him in the face until unconscious would work.

[MerryBlooms]

25. Had either of them done what they've done, to strangers,

it sure as hell wouldn't take multiple calls to get their sorry asses behind bars. But when it's a 'domestic' issue, not the case. And, by domestic, I mean-- spouse/partner/child abuse/assault... the shit we are willing to tolerate as a society when it comes to in-house abuse/assault, is shameful.