Stench from the Bench #3 – Judge John Torribio Justifies His Religious Bigotry June 1, 2015

.   Once again, Los Angeles Superior Court Judge, John Torribio, the winner of California’s Most Corrupt Judge Award comes to our attention, showing why he is the champion at judicial misconduct.

.     Seldom do judges give us the transcripts and their written admissions of their inappropriate conduct, but Judge Torribio is the judge who keeps on giving. He was willing to put his religious bigotry on the record so that we have a written record how he assesses people in his courtroom.

The February 10, 2015 Hearing Transcript:

.     On February 10, 2015, Judge Torribio conducted a hearing concerning SaveHywd’s attorney of record, Richard MacNaughton. Opposing counsel Frank Angel started Judge Torribio down the Road of Bigoted Religiosity. Here’s the LINK to the entire transcript Feb 10, 2015 Transcript Judge Torribio, but the crucial words are at pages 20 – 22.

MR. ANGEL: I want to point it out to you. I’ll give it to you, and that is just not an isolated instance.

THE COURT: Okay. Thank you.

MR. ANGEL: And the only reason I’m bringing it up is because he’s attacked Justice Turner now, he’s attacked Justice Goodman. He filed an affidavit of prejudice against you. There is no judge in the world — I think, when he knocks at heaven’s door, he’ll refuse Jesus Christ.

.     Right after this extremely offensive religious remark, Judge Torribio does not remind Frank Angel the courts will not tolerate any racial, ethnic or religious references. Instead, Judge Torribio holds a sidebar with Frank Angel and excludes Attorney MacNaughton while Frank Angel and Judge Torribio review and whisper about Attorney MacNaughton’s confidential papers. Judge Torribio ignores the Jew MacNaughton’s objections about the improper sidebar. Attorney MacNaughton could catch enough of the sidebar whispering to see that Frank Angel was pointing to Judge Torribio that Attorney MacNaughton is Jewish.

.     At the time, Attorney MacNaughton was confused by the Jesus Christ comment. It didn’t sound good and was obviously meant to be prejudicial against him. Attorney MacNaughton, however, was focused on the illegal sidebar between Judge Torribio and Frank Angel. Attorney MacNaughton could tell Frank Angel was mostly likely showing confidential attorney work product to the judge, just as Frank Angel had shown Attorney MacNaughton’s confidential documents to Judge Goodman back in January 2014.

.     During the entire sidebar, Judge Torribio relegated the Jew MacNaughton to the counsel table and Judge Torribio would not even let the Jew see what documents he was reviewing with Frank Angel.

Judge Torribio is Confronted
With His Condoning
the Refuse Jesus Christ Statement

.     On May 11, 2015, another client of Attorney MacNaughton, Hollywoodians Encouraging Logical Planning [HELP], filed written objections to Judge Torribio’s exhibiting bias against HELP.  HELP was contending that the religious prejudice which Judge Torribio had shown against Attorney MacNaughton as attorney of record of Petitioner SaveHywd was being transferred to HELP due to its having the same attorney as SaveHywd.

.     HELP’s Disqualification Statement expressly brought to Judge Torribio’s attention his objectionable behavior with respect to the improper sidebar and the “refuse Jesus Christ” statement which lunched the sidebar. The Disqualification Statement is linked here HELP’s Disqualification Statement and pages 11 through 13 discuss the Refuse Jesus Statement.

.     After Disqualification Statement set forth the improper manner that Judge Torribio had accepted of Frank Angel’s statement that Attorney MacNaughton was a troublemaker who would “refuse Jesus Christ,” court procedure gave Judge Torribio an opportunity to present his side of the story.  Judge Torribio had ten days to review the court files and think about what had occurred on February 10th and then to make a thoughtful, judicious response.

Silence Is an Adoptive Admission

.     As Judge Torribio knows, California has a rule which is called Adoptive Admission. That means when a person has the opportunity to disavow an accusation or similar matter, which a reasonable person would reject, and he fails to do so, then his silence is an adoptive admission. Judge Torribio’s response to HELP’s complaint turned out to be an Adoptive Admission of Frank Angels’ religious test for credibility, i.e., people who “refuse Jesus Christ” are not credible.

In His May 18, 2015 Strike Order,
Judge Torribio Explains
His Reaction to the Jesus Christ
Comment and to the Illicit Sidebar

.     In his response to HELP’s Disqualification Statement, Judge Torribio justified all this actions. Briefly stated, Judge Torribio contends that he may not be disqualified as a judge because he adopts the idea that people are not credible if they refuse Jesus Christ.

“. . . . California Constitution Article VI, § 10 which provides in pertinent part with regard to all courts: “The court may make such comment on the evidence and the testimony and credibility of any witness as in its opinion is necessary for the proper determination of the cause.” [bold added] Torribio’s 5-18-2015 Strike Order  see 4:26-5:2

.     Rather than address or apologize for his acquiescence in Frank Angel’s religious test for credibility in court, Judge Torribio defends his adoption of Frank Angel’s religious test for credibility and his exclusion of the Jew MacNaughton from the sidebar as the judge’s constitutional right.

  Judge Torribio Did Not have a Word of Remorse

.     Judge Torribio did not even provide a disingenuous apology saying he is sorry if anyone is offended. He did not assure that everyone no matter what racial, ethnic, or religious background, he/she will be treated fairly. No! All we get from Superior Court Judge John Torribio is a staunch constitutional defense of his right to allow religious bigotry to be the measure of credibility in his courtroom.

================November 2, 2015 Update=============

see also
http://bit.ly/1DTh6XG September 18, 2015 California Supreme Court Protects Christians from Jews and Other Infidels

.      The above follow up article shows how the California Supreme Court supported Judge Torribio’s and Justice Turner’s alleged constitutional right of judges to hold ex parte conferences based on a judge’s religious and ethnic biases.

.     Judge Torribio and Justice Turner, it turns out, seem quite wedded to the use of secret communications with Angel Law.

.   As was recently discovered, on December 18, 2014, Justice Turner  initiated  a highly prejudicial ex parte communication with Angel Law.   At that time Justice Turner formulated his plan to remove Attorney MacNaughton as SaveHywd’s attorney on an appellate matter without disclosing to SaveHywd or Attorney MacNaughton ex parte communication. Rather than disclose the secret December 18, 2014 conference with Angel Law, Justice Turner made an order to remove Attorney MacNaughton — without obtaining jurisdiction and without due process.   Very recently in 2015, Justice Turner used secret undisclosed December 18, 2014 conference to dismiss SaveHywd’s appeal from Judge Torribio’s March 9, 2015 order.

.   While Judge Torribio’s ex parte February 10, 2015 whisperings with Frank Angel were open and notorious, Justice Turner chose to keep his ex parte December 18, 2014 conference a secret from SaveHywd and from Attorney MacNaughton.  One problem which faces the corrupt judicial officers is that sometimes other people disclose the corrupt behind the scenes communications between judges and justices, between attorneys for the court and justices in structuring legal positions, between justices and attorneys, etc.