Dirty Dishes	Dirty Dishes Archive

Dawn doesn't generally think highly of judges (apologies to Dawn's honorable brother); while a recent news item in the Boston Globe doesn't change that prejudice, it does reveal some judicial highjinks that at least humanize those in robes who enforce the police state's rules.

John C. Fairbanks was a judge in Newport, New Hampshire, who disappeared in 1989 after being indicted on charges of stealing millions from clients and their estates. Dawn was far more interested to read, though, that Fairbanks also faced investigation for "sexual exploitation of young men in trouble with the law." Hmmmm.

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Seems the judge could often be seen near the police station, talking earnestly with young male defendants. Later, when they showed up in his court, these defendants reportedly had their charges dismissed or received only light sentences. Judge Fairbanks also, it is claimed, would lead male defendants appearing before him in court back into his private office, emerge a bit later, and find many of them not guilty.

Now, Dawn can respect those who claim that the Judge's actions were discriminatory against women, older men, and the ugly (all of whom did not, presumably, receive Judge Fairbanks' own unique plea bargain offers), but given the immorality of jailing people for the charges that occupy so much court time (sex and drugs), Dawn feels impelled to applaud every not guilty verdict/finding, no matter how obtained. (And Dawn would like to vomit on the Globe writer, Royal Ford, who worries that the judge's in-chambers philandering may have caused "untold psychological damage" to the thugs trading blow jobs for freedom. Does anyone at the Globe get laid?)

Alas, we will never hear the judge's side of the story. He, at age 70, killed himself in a Las Vegas hotel room in 1994.