We were granted a hearing by Superior Court Judge Vince Rozier and were encouraged by his May 1, 2020 ruling to order, adjudge and decree that the defendants, among other things, produce verified statements that “living conditions designed to reasonably prevent the spread of COVID-19, including but not limited to reassigning bunks to allow for six feet or more between each sleeping occupant, a ‘head to foot’ bunk arrangement, and rearranged scheduling to prevent or eliminate the mixing of individuals between different housing areas,” However, 12 days later we were taser-stunned as a final order denying both our motion for a temporary restraining order and our alternative motion for a writ of mandamus left us dazed.

How perverse were their actions: leaking that Judge Cummings was under investigation by Judicial Standards- an event that by law was supposed to remain confidential- and then intentionally deceiving the public by accusing Judge Cummings of revealing the investigation when the reporter knew that only Judicial Standards, Judge Cummings, and Former Chief District Court Judge H. Thomas Jarrell had knowledge that Judge Cummings had been served with violations.

The paper also printed portions of an Order by Senior Resident Superior Court Judge Joe Craig which, playing on racial stereotypes and tropes of Black men as aggressive and violent, first banned Judge Cummings from the courthouse and his office in the courthouse, and after that proved unpalatable, required Judge Cummings to go through security and be escorted by security –sometimes armed guards- while in the courthouse.

Months later, Judge Craig would find himself authoring a piece in the same News & Record admonishing people not to cast stones at the now former Chief District Court Judge H. Thomas Jarrell who had died months earlier from an overdose on heroin and fentanyl.

The powers that be found it necessary to have the State Bureau of Investigations investigate where Judge Cummings lived, but have not found it necessary to investigate how a Judge, the Chief District Judge no less, obtained heroin and fentanyl; but even more than that, how many Defendants Jarrell sent to jail for possession or use of illegal drugs while he himself was using them.