Washington judge takes time off after commenting on Black Man
VANCOUVER, Washington (AP) – A judge in southwest Washington said he would take time out to ponder his behavior after coming under pressure to make critical comments about a black man who was killed by police last year .
Clark District Court Judge Darvin Zimmerman made the announcement Tuesday following convictions by District Court judges, a prosecutor’s decision to request his removal from their criminal cases, and a call from a well-known law firm to resign, The Columbian reported. Zimmerman said he will determine what he can do to heal the community he has served.
Last week Zimmerman described Kevin Peterson Jr. as “the black they wanted to make an angel of” and said, among other things, he believed Peterson was “so stupid.”
According to court records, three Clark County MPs shot and killed Peterson from Camas on October 29 after authorities said he had sold Xanax pills to a confidential informant in Hazel Dell. The MPs fired 34 shots at the 21-year-old, who died after four hits. Peterson carried a gun, but investigators found no evidence that he fired it.
Zimmerman’s son was on site as a member of the Clark County Sheriff’s Office but did not fire his gun. In a story from The Columbian on Monday, Zimmerman told the newspaper, “Every time we lose a life, it’s a tragedy. Kevin Peterson is no exception. “But he did not apologize for his statements or describe them as racist.
The judge said Peterson’s father told a police chap he believed the shooting was justified, but “he woke up the next day with dollar signs in his eyes and George Floyd’s lawyers had already contacted him.”
In a statement made Tuesday on behalf of Zimmerman by Attorney Josephine C. Townsend, he said: “I have always prided myself on being open, fair, and just in my duties as a judicial officer. I understand that even my personal comments, when published, will create an outcry of concern because I am a judicial officer. “
The statement said Zimmerman deeply regrets his comments, which have created division and concern in the community.
Townsend said Zimmerman himself reported his testimony over the weekend to the Judicial Conduct Commission, which has the power to investigate the comments and recommend that the Washington Supreme Court take action against him.
“I want my colleagues and the public to know that I have taken responsibility for my actions,” said Zimmerman’s statement.
Meanwhile, his bank vacation will be coordinated by the district court’s presiding judge, Townsend said.