Judge James B. Gosnell Jr. Used Racial Slur In Past: Says South Carolina Shooter’s Family Also Victims [Video]


It seems the judge presiding over the case involving Dylann Roof — who is accused of shooting nine black church members during a bible study — once was given a Supreme Court reprimand for using a racial slur during a hearing. Judge James B. Gosnell Jr., about 10 years ago, used a racial slur during a different case, and despite his insistence he was quoting another party, social media has questioned his ability to remain impartial in the Roof case.

As previously reported by the Inquisitr, on June 17, Dylann allegedly opened fire inside the Emanuel African Methodist Episcopal Church after sitting in their bible study for an hour. Nine people were killed, and a tenth victim was wounded. Judge Gosnell Jr. was appointed to handle the case.

According to Examiner, in 2005, the South Carolina Supreme Court issued a public censure against Gosnell Jr. over the racial slur. In 2003, Gosnell was presiding over a black man’s bond reduction hearing, and speaking directly to the defendant, told him that “there are four kinds of people in this world – black people, white people, rednecks, and n*****s” and denied the defendant’s bond reduction.

In his defense, James claims he was just repeating a saying he once heard from a veteran sheriff’s deputy, who was black, reports First Coast News.

Judge James Jr.’s racial slur resurfaced again two years later. James Jr. was accused of showing partiality towards another magistrate who had been arrested for drunk driving — this defendant happened to be white. Gosnell’s accusers claimed that he abused his position to have his colleague released from the Charleston County Detention Center. He went to the county jail when it was closed, and allegedly altered records to show his colleague was given an 8 a.m. bond hearing release, even though it was actually the middle of the night, reports the Examiner. James’s accusers yet again referred to the racial slur during that incident.

At Roof’s Friday hearing, the judge told the victims’ friends and family that Roof’s family are also “victims” and said Charleston should support them, as well.

“Charleston is a very strong community. We have big hearts. We are a very loving community,” said James Gosnell, Jr. at Roof’s hearing. “We are going to reach out to everyone, all victims, and we will touch them. We have victims, nine of them. But, we also have victims on the other side. There are victims on this young man’s side of the family.”

There’s no news whether Judge James B. Gosnell Jr. will be removed from the case due to his censure for using a racial slur or how the families feel about a judge presiding over the case who once publicly used a racial slur.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FQGJreiSN4s

[Image from YouTube]

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