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It would take a lot of convincing to make me think N.C. Court of Appeals Judge Doug McCullough should not resign in the wake of his DWI arrest.
Driving after drinking enough to register 0.12 is terribly irresponsible and, in my opinion, shows unacceptably poor judgment for a judge.
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Comments (3)
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Doug,
Here's a guy who clearly made a mistake by having one beer too many. But, unlike a lot of guys, he steps up and says, "Yeah, I screwed up, and I'm standing here willing to take my medicine."
We all make mistakes. Should the guy have taken a cab? Absolutely. Especially in his position... Exactly because for somebody in his job, it's pretty embarrassing to get arrested. Just as it would be for J.J. Reddick or any other player at DUIKE.
Still, I don't think any of us can expect that our judges should step down any time they get stopped for speeding, let the parking meter expire, have a check bounce because of a math mistake, or--and I'm not saying that DUI isn't serious--driving after a few beers or a cocktail that was stronger than he expected.
If somebody one day comes before the Court of Appeals and says, 'How dare you judge me, Judge DUI,' I think this judge has every right to say, 'Yeah, like you, I screwed up. I lost my driving privileges, I spent a weekend picking up trash, and my car insurance is now like $3,000 a year. And, just as I faced the full brunt of the law, you will, too.'
Posted on October 10, 2006 4:06 PM
Emery Wood..
Would you make that same argument if the crime was different? Say if the judge had been using illegal drugs?
I mean, isn't this guy's job to be judging people. Isn't he automatically held to a higher standard than say, the average offender?
You don't get a job like being a judge by being irresponsible.
Posted on October 10, 2006 4:14 PM
So far, this is Judge McCullough's only public statement on the matter:
"I am disappointed at this situation. I have dedicated my career to the rule of law and expect to proceed through the court system as would any other citizen of the State."
Expressing disappointment is not the same as admitting he screwed up. And, in my opinion, willingness to be treated like an average citizen is not good enough for a judge on the state court of appeals. I expect a higher standard for someone in that position.
Sorry. I think McCullough is a good guy. He's had a long record of service to the state and the country through federal government and the military. But this is a very bad mistake.
Posted on October 10, 2006 4:16 PM