Legal Ethics
Sex Joke No Laughing Matter for Judge, Defender
A Miami judge and public defender have apologized for joking in court last week about a case involving a man accused of having sex with a teenage boy.
The mea culpa came from Judge Jeffrey Levenson, 50, and Assistant Public Defender Brian Reidy, 49, who was docked a week of vacation time, the Miami Herald reports. The judge hasn’t been disciplined.
Citing transcripts, the paper reports that Levenson asked what football position the boy played.
Reidy apparently retorted, “Tight end,” with Levenson adding, “Wide receiver?”
When the prosecutor called the judge on the remark, Levenson apologized.
The interaction took place during a jury instruction conference. The boy and jury weren’t present.
