Downfall of Judge Paul King

Item Information

Title:
Downfall of Judge Paul King
Description:
Hope Kelly reports on the removal of Judge Paul King, who was a former Chief Justice in the Dorchester District Court, from his position at Dorchester District Court. The State Supreme Court demoted King for misconduct in and out of court, including sexist remarks, racist standards for setting bail, and for public drunkenness. Kelly reviews the incidents leading to King's demotion. King was transferred to Stoughton District Court, where he is only allowed to sit on civil cases. Kelly's report includes shots of newspaper articles covering the story and footage of lawyers, clerks, and defendants in a courtroom. 0:59:53: Visual: Shot of the exterior of Dorchester District Court. Hope Kelly reports that Paul King (judge) was a judge for nearly twenty years at Dorchester District Court. Kelly notes that the Dorchester District Court is the busiest court in the system; that King was chief justice at the court for eleven years. Kelly reports that the State Supreme Court removed King in 1987; that King was transferred to Stoughton District Court. Kelly notes that King is only allowed to sit on civil cases at Stoughton District Court. V: Shots of a newspaper article with a photo of King. The headline reads, "Dorchester court has a history of trouble." Shot of another newspaper article with a photo of King. The headline reads, "Judge banned from Hub court." The article lists incidents of objectionable behavior by King. Kelly stands in front of the Dorchester District Court. Kelly notes that King made objectionable comments to battered women and Vietnam veterans in the courtroom. Kelly reports that King engaged in offensive behavior outside of the courtroom. V: Shots of a sign for Nanina's restaurant; of the exterior of Nanina's restaurant; of the parking lot of the restaurant. Kelly reports that King often went to Nanina's restaurant in Dorchester in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Kelly reports that the Judicial Conduct Commission found that King became visibly intoxicated regularly at Nanina's restaurant. Kelly notes that witnesses told the Commission that King frequently and openly urinated in the parking lot of the restaurant. Kelly reports that a court clerk testified that King set an unusually high bail amount for four African American defendants in 1982; that the clerk testified to King saying that African Americans deserve high bails for voting against his brother. Kelly notes that Michael Dukakis (former governor of Massachusetts) beat Ed King (brother of Paul King and former governor of Massachusetts) in the 1982 gubernatorial election. V: Shots of a clerk looking through court paperwork; of an audience in a courtroom; of lawyers, clerks, and defendants in a courtroom. Shot of a police officer and a clerk going through paperwork. Kelly reports that the media has covered the story intensely; that some judges say that King is a victim of the system. Kelly reports that some judges says that King's behavior is a sad reflection of the stresses under which the judges work.
Date:
April 1, 1991
Format:
Film/Video
Genre:
News
Location:
WGBH
Collection (local):
Ten O'Clock News
Subjects:
Judges
Political corruption
Discrimination
Newspapers
Courts
Places:
Massachusetts > Suffolk (county) > Boston
Dorchester (Boston, Mass.)
Link to Item:
http://bostonlocaltv.org/catalog/V_AAOGNAHCJE38PBJ
Terms of Use:
Rights status not evaluated.
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Publisher:
Ten O'Clock News