Judge Faces Ethics Case for Writing Letters to Court About Amanda Knox Murder Trial
A Washington state judge whose daughter is a friend of Amanda Knox is facing a legal ethics case for writing on King County court stationery to the Italian judges overseeing Knox’s high-profile murder case last year, among other alleged misconduct.
In a disciplinary matter filed yesterday, the Commission on Judicial Conduct alleges that Superior Court Judge Michael Heavey improperly used his judicial office to attempt to influence the Italian court and advance the private interests of others, reports the Seattle Times.
In addition to writing letters himself to the Italian judges, Heavey is accused of directing court workers to do so.
However, Heavey says he did nothing wrong:
“My letters were basically to speak out against the injustice of improper actions designed to prevent a fair and impartial trial,” the judge said in a written statement provided yesterday to the newspaper. “This is not advancing a private interest. It is addressing fundamental principles of due process and fairness.”
Knox was convicted last year of the murder of a British roommate and is serving a 26-year sentence.
