Thursday, October 08, 2015

Former AUSA, current Broward state judge resigns

The Sun-Sentinel has all of the details:

Broward Circuit Judge Lynn Rosenthal, who was facing a disciplinary hearing over her conduct following her arrest on a DUI charge last year, has resigned effective Oct. 31.

Her decision was confirmed on the same day the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC) announced a schedule of hearings in her misconduct case, which are now likely to be canceled.

"She called me and told me she's chosen to resign, effective the end of this month," said Broward Chief Administrative Judge Peter Weinstein. "This gives us enough time to decide who will replace her in her division."

Rosenthal has mostly handled foreclosures since her arrest on May 27, 2014. On that morning, Rosenthal arrived outside the courthouse showing signs of being impaired. She sideswiped a parked patrol car and repeatedly drove into the gate of the judicial parking lot between the courthouse and the Broward Main Jail.

According to police reports, she told investigators that she had taken an accidental overdose of the prescription sleep aid Ambien the night before. A breath test showed she was not under the influence of alcohol, but Rosenthal refused to submit to a blood or urine test that would have indicated whether she was affected by any other drug.

Prosecutors said there was a bottle of Xanax in her car.

During a JQC investigation that followed, Rosenthal admitted that she had recorded a video using her cellphone as she was driving to work. The video, police said, showed her driving erratically on Interstate 595. Rosenthal's husband deleted the video after police had seen it.

The JAABlog broke the story.

5 comments:

Anonymous said...

No hat tip to the JAABlog that originally broke your blog post today? At least the Sun Sentinnel gave credit where it is due.

"Fort Lauderdale attorney Bill Gelin, who first reported Rosenthal's resignation on the JAABlog courthouse news and gossip website, applauded the judge's decision to resign."

And, they added his perspective in reporting the news from his posting:

"This is the first responsible thing she's done throughout this process since her arrest," he said. "Her conduct warrants not only removal from the bench, but suspension from the practice of law."

Anonymous said...

with that kind of negative press she should run for Congress

David Oscar Markus said...

12:33, thanks. I updated the post with that info.

Anonymous said...

Nah, Nah, Naaah, Nah. Nah, Nah, Naaah, Nah. Hey, Hey, Hey. Goodbye. (and good riddance, you miserable human being)

Anonymous said...

1:54 -- Then hat tip for the hat tip.