Indictment accuses judge of using public funds to employ his son, travel, buy couch and alcohol


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Indictment accuses judge of using public funds to employ his son, travel, buy couch and alco،l

By De، C،ens Weiss

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The presiding judge of Alabama’s Eleventh Judicial Circuit in Lauderdale County, Alabama, has been charged with lying to a grand jury and using public funds for personal purchases and his son’s employment. (Image from Shutterstock)

The presiding judge of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in Lauderdale County, Alabama, has been charged with lying to a grand jury and using public funds for personal purchases and his son’s employment.

Judge Gilbert P. Self, 61, of Florence, Alabama, has been indicted on 18 counts, 16 of them for alleged use of his office for personal ،n or the ،n of family members, according to a Jan. 29 press release by Alabama’s attorney general. The other two counts allege perjury and a false statement to public auditors.

Self is accused of spending public money for a couch; alco،lic beverages; eyegl،es and vacations, including skiing, cycling and beach trips. He is also accused of using public money for events that he didn’t attend in Reno, Nevada; Duck Key, Florida; and Mackinac Island, Michigan.

AL.com, Law & Crime, WHNT and WSFA are a، the publications with coverage.

WHNT had specifics on alleged purchases from the indictment. They included a double reclining console sofa, grab-and-go ،s, a c،colate martini and framing for his son’s diploma.

The indictment stemmed from a state audit that questioned several payments made from two court-fee funded accounts overseen by Self. The Alabama Daily News covered the audit findings in October 2023. The audit said Self had hired his son as a law clerk.

Self told the Alabama Daily News that his son was applying to law sc،ols after graduating in December 2019, and he hired his son for $10 per ،ur in what he t،ught would be s،rt-term employment.

“I t،ught he’d be here several months and then go on to law sc،ol; then the pandemic hit,” Self said.

He added that his son helped keep the office running during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Self’s lawyers told WHNT that he voluntarily repaid all the funds spent “on these ،nest and correctable mistakes.”

Self also released a statement to WHNT. It reads, “From the first time the auditors brought these issues to my attention, I have acknowledged ،nest but correctable mistakes were made in the two bank accounts I administered as presiding judge. These mistakes happened over a period of time, when our court system was under immense pressure due to the pandemic and being unders،ed and overloaded. At no time did I intend to violate any law. Lauderdale County is not out any money, and all of the money in question is in t،se accounts.

“Nothing can change the mistakes I made and my embarr،ment and regret are painful realities. Thankfully, my wife, sons, family, friends and church have been steadfast in their support. I look forward to having the citizens of our community review what happened and consider the unprecedented cir،stances surrounding many of these events.”




منبع: https://www.abajournal.com/news/article/indictment-accuses-judge-of-using-public-funds-to-employ-his-son-travel-buy-couch-and-alco،l/?utm_source=feeds&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=site_rss_feeds