Litigation

MI Justice Concedes Using N-Word, Slams Ex-Colleague

By Peter Hardin

It’s one of the more surprising reports to come out of the contentious 2010 judicial elections.

After former Justice Elizabeth Weaver brought up the issue, Michigan Supreme Court Justice Robert Young Jr., who is seeking reelection in a heated campaign, acknowledged he used the n-word in a private conference with other justices in 2006, according to an Associated Press article.

Justice Young is African-American and a conservative Republican. He said he was sorry that he used the word, and that it occurred when he was making an “impassioned plea” to emphasize how an individual was being treated “without rights, without dignity.”

As for Justice Weaver, a moderate Republican, Justice Young said her actions were an “outrage.” He went on, “Justice Weaver hasn’t been called (the N-word) or been treated like one, but she finds it politically expedient to use it politically…All of my family has experienced it including me.”

Justice Weaver spoke at a Traverse City meeting “in opposition” to Justice Young, according to a Michigan Messenger article, and she accused him of displaying crude and unprofessional conduct in court conferences. The two have feuded with each other in the past, the newspaper said.

Justice Young suggested that a fellow justice start a response to the head of a state agency by referring to her as an ?ignorant slut,? Justice Weaver said. The AP reported that Justice Young said he couldn’t recall saying that. You can view Justice Weaver’s remarks by clicking on the video, which was posted by the Michigan Messenger.

You can also learn more about the Michigan election by visiting Justice at Stake’s Judicial Elections 2010 page or the Michigan news page.

Full post as published by The Gavel on October 25, 2010 (boomark / email).