Judge tests limits of free speech with Facebook jury remarks

LOUISVILLE, Ky. – A Louisville judge who railed against a prosecutor in provocative, racially charged posts on Facebook will soon face a disciplinary hearing that could end his judicial career.

Judge Olu Stevens, who is black, is facing misconduct charges for suggesting that the white prosecutor was nefariously seeking to seat all-white juries.

Commonwealth’s Attorney Tom Wine had asked the Supreme Court for a legal opinion on whether Stevens had the authority to dismiss a randomly selected jury panel because it lacked minorities, prompting Stevens to launch the attack.

Experts say his cause was worthy: Stevens shined a light on a racial imbalance that has dogged the criminal justice system for generations. But his personal attack on a prosecutor for requesting an appellate opinion could cross an ethical line and threaten to overshadow the issue he attempted to highlight.