Ohio Judge Throws Out Rape Case After Prosecutor Late to Court

From The Canton (OH) Repository:

CLEVELAND (AP) — A Cuyahoga County judge threw out the charge against a man accused of raping a girl six years ago when the prosecutor in the case was 45 minutes late to trial.

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The mother of the now 16-year-old Rocky River girl said her daughter feels victimized by the judge’s decision.

Common Pleas Judge Eileen Gallagher dismissed the case when Assistant County Prosecutor Mark Schneider had not shown up by 1:45 p.m. Monday, after she told both sides to be in court at 1 p.m.

Schneider was in his office preparing an appeal seeking to prevent the judge from continuing with the trial.

Earlier in the day, Schneider had asked the judge to remove herself from the case, saying the judge said last year that she thought the accuser had credibility problems.

“Nobody should be rendering opinions from the bench before trial,” Schneider said. “A child victim who’s being put through the wringer deserves a fair shake at trial.”

Gallagher said her decision to throw out the charge had nothing to do with the girl’s credibility.

“It was all about the unprofessional actions of a prosecutor,” she said. “You don’t show up — too bad. Don’t treat me like a punk and not show up in court without giving us the courtesy of notifying us where you are.”

My Comments:
"Don’t treat me like a punk ..."

What the hell kind of judge talks that way? A real lady, that one.

Apparently has a thing for letting rapists off easy, too.


UPDATE (22 June 2006)
I did not realize that there are 2 judges by the name of Eileen Gallagher sitting on the Cuyahoga County Common Pleas Court. Unfortunately, I originally posted the photo of the wrong Judge Eileen Gallagher.

I have now deleted the photo, and apologize for any confusion caused by my originally posting the incorrect one.