Ferguson’s municipal court judge resigned Monday following a scathing Justice Department report that said the court imposed harsh fees on citizens just to generate revenue.
Judge Ronald J. Brockmeyer stepped down amid controversy that he helped the city generate revenue by deliberately targeting black citizensm St. Louis TV station KSDK first reported.
“Mr. Brockmeyer recognizes that the Department of Justice report, as well as recent media reports, regardless of their accuracy or validity, have diminished the public’s confidence in the Ferguson Municipal Court,” his attorney, Bert Fulk, said in a statement sent to CNN, adding that the judge believed promoting confidence in the court will help Ferguson begin to heal.
The Missouri Supreme Court transferred Judge Roy L. Richter from one of the state’s Court of Appeals to the St. Louis Circuit Court where he will be charged with hearing all of Ferguson’s cases.
Mr. Brockmeyer was specifically named in the DOJ’s report that found he “has been successful in significantly increasing court collections” since his appointment in 2003.
But the various fees and fines imposed were “widely considered abusive and may be unlawful,” the DOJ said, pointing to a $50 fee citizens had to pay if their arrest warrants were cleared.
“Court staff are keenly aware that the City considers revenue generation to be the municipal court’s primary purpose,” the Justice Department report said.
Investigators said they found multiple instances of excessive fees imposed by Ferguson law enforcement and the court system. In one nearby city, having excessive weeds or too tall grass at your home or business could cost you $5. But in Ferguson, the charge ranged between $77 and $102, officials said.
On top of imposing fees, investigators said Mr. Brockmeyer also used his position to help get police and other law enforcement officers out of tickets for speeding and running red lights while in other districts around Ferguson.
Two police officers and a court clerk have also resigned from Ferguson law enforcement agencies after the DOJ’s report revealed they sent racist e-mails that included saying Barack Obama couldn’t be president because blacks can’t hold a job for four years.
• Phillip Swarts can be reached at pswarts@washingtontimes.com.
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