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UPDATE 08/16/2001
Commission Removes L.A. Judge By ERICA WERNER LOS ANGELES (AP) - A judge who falsely claimed he had once worked for the CIA in Laos and fought in Vietnam was ordered removed from the bench Wednesday. The state Commission on Judicial Performance found Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Patrick Couwenberg guilty of willful misconduct in office, conduct prejudicial to the administration of justice and improper action under the state constitution. ``He lied to become a judge, elaborated on his misrepresentations
for his enrobing ceremony and subsequently lied to the commission in an
apparent attempt to frustrate its investigation,'' the commission said
in an order
AP-NY-08-15-01 2149EDT Copyright 2001 The Associated Press. |
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Friday, July 7, 2000 |
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| L.A. Judge Charged With Lying About
His Past He faces hearing, possible discipline Michael Taylor, Chronicle Staff Writer To hear Judge Patrick Couwenberg tell it, his life before donning the black robes was a collage of combat heroism and secret CIA missions, but now the state's judicial watchdog agency says Couwenberg lied about being a Vietnam war veteran and about many other events in his background. In a seven-page ``notice of formal proceedings,'' the state Commission on Judicial Performance charged the Los Angeles Superior Court judge with ``providing false information regarding his background and qualifications'' when he applied to be a judge. Couwenberg, 55, faces a hearing before three special masters appointed by the state Supreme Court. After receiving the special masters' report, the commission can remove Couwenberg from the bench or ``censure, publicly admonish, or privately discipline'' him. ... Yesterday, it was clear that the judicial watchdogs are not happy with Couwenberg's alleged flights of fancy.
E-mail Michael Taylor at miket@sfgate.com. |
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