Defense: Gentry had 'lots of lapses of judgment,' should still be a judge
Defense: Gentry had 'lots of lapses of judgment,' should still be a judge
Judge Dawn Gentry was a bad boss and a bad politician, her defense attorney said on the final day of her misconduct case before the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission.
But none of that makes her a bad judge, and she shouldn’t lose her position for it.
GOOD EVENING AND THANKS FORJOINING US -- I'M TANYAO'ROURKE.AND I'M KRISTYN HARTMAN.
THEFATE OF A KENTON COUNTYJUDGE'S CAREER IS NOW IN THEHANDS OF THE STATE JUDICIALCONDUCT COMMISSION.
JUDGE DAWNGENTRY IS ACCUSED OF HAVINGSEX AND DRINKING ALCOHOL INTHE COURT HOUSE, AS WELLRETALIATING AGAINST people WHODIDN'T SUPPORT HER CAMPAIGN.REPORTER MARIEL CARBONE BREAKSDOWN THE FINAL DAY OF WITNESSTESTIMONY.MARIEL:"The defense in thiscase says Dawn Gentry was abad politician and a bad boss.But, she was never a badjudge.
That's why it says shederives to say put in herposition.
All of that, is notto say she didn't makemistakes.
Gentry admitted shecould've handled herselfbetter, and says if she could,she'd do all differently."PACKIT'S NOW COINED AS THE"PENROSE PROBLEM."TODDLEWIS/GENTRY ATTORNEY "He's aclassic narcissist that thinkthe world revolves around him."STEPHEN PENROSE.
HE WAS JUDGEDAWN GENTRY'S HIRED CASESPECIALIST.
AND THE MAN SHE'SACCUSED OF HAVING SEX WITH ANDDRINKING ALCOHOL WITH IN COURTHOUSE OFFICES.
GENTRY SAYS,THAT DIDN'T HAPPEN: JUDGE DAWNGENTRY/KENTON COUNTY FAMILYCOURT"No, no,"BUT, LINES WERECROSSED.
TODD LEWIS/GENTRYATTORNEY "Did he send youpictures of a penis?"JUDGEDAWN GENTRY/KENTON COUNTYFAMILY COURT"Yesand I didn'tstop it."WHY DID SHE ALLOW IT?JUDGE DAWN GENTRY/KENTONCOUNTY FAMILY COURT"I wasgoing through a really roughtime in my marriage."PENROSENEVER TESTIFIED DURING THE 5DAY HEARING.BUT OTHERS SPOKEABOUT HIM.
SAYING HE WAS'OVERBEARING,' 'THREATENING'AND 'UNPROFESSIONAL.'TODDLEWIS/GENTRY ATTORNEY "Who wasbehind the put on pretend sexperformance?
That led tosomeone thinking there as sexin chambers.
He is behindthat."SO GENTRY'S ATTORNEY,TODD LEWIS, SAYS FOR THE MOSTPART, 'HE' IS TO BLAME.THAT'SNOT TO SAY GENTRY DIDN'T DO'ANYTHING' WRONG.
JUDGE DAWNGENTRY/KENTON COUNTY FAMILYCOURT"Now, I would certainlyhandle it differently."SHEADMITS, THERE WAS A KISSBETWEEN HER AND A FEMALEATTORNEY WHO PRACTICED CASESIN FRONT OF HER.
THAT SHEFAILED TO DISCLOSE PERSONALRELATIONSHIPS.
AND SHE SAYSSHE SHOULD'VE KEPT A BETTEREYE ON HER EMPLOYEES, WHO SHESAYS WERE DRINKING THESE BEERSIN HER OFFICE, NOT HER.
JUDGEDAWN GENTRY/KENTON COUNTYFAMILY COURT"I didn't know itwas going on and I should've.I was not properly supervisingmy staff."LEWIS SAYS THERESHOULD BE A PUNISHMENT FOR ALLTHIS, BUT NOT AN END TO HERCAREER.TODD LEWIS/GENTRYATTORNEY "The voters of Kentoncounty placed this individualin a constitutional positionand that should not lightly beundone.
Ever."BRYAN BEAUMAN/ATTORNEY JUDICIAL CONDUCTCOMMISSION "You had multiplelapses of judgement on manydifferent issues involvingmany different people."JUDGEDAWN GENTRY/KENTON COUNTYFAMILY COURT "There was a bigchunk that I was absolutelyhad lots of lapses ofjudgement."The panel is nowdeliberating.
It'll release awritten statement with it'sdecision in the coming weeks.In Newport, Mariel Carbone,WCPO Nine news."
