The Commissioner's Conflict
Commissioner Williams denies avoiding Banker Atkins's case, calling the 100-mile warrant assignment unnecessary.
Court Commissioner Williams states that there was not the slightest foundation in fact for the representation made to Commissioner Spriggs at Seattle that he, Williams, had expressed a desire not to have the case of Banker Atkins come up before him, on account of his friendship for the gentleman. He did not know that a complaint had been made or was to be made, and in fact had no knowledge whatever of the case prior to the arrest, and therefore could not have expressed any opinion or desire concerning it. But even if he had done so, it would not have been necessary to depart from the ordinary course in such cases and make the warrant returnable only before a designated commissioner 100 miles away, as there is another commissioner in this county, Mayor Lawrence, of Sumas, who certainly could have been depended upon to hear the case without prejudice.
“there was not the slightest foundation in fact for the representation made”
Accusations of judicial bias and 'venue shopping' in high-profile white-collar crime cases continue to challenge the public's faith in the impartiality of local courts.
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