Following the damning Department of Justice report on the Ferguson Police Department last week that revealed the systemic racism within, one judge named in the report has resigned.
Judge Ronald Brockmeyer has resigned from his position at the Ferguson municipal court following accusations of "significantly increasing court collections over the years," sending people to jail when they couldn’t pay a fine, and trying to ask that an offense be dropped against a relative.
The Supreme Court of Missouri has taken swift action and replaced Brockmeyer, according to an official statement:
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Chief Justice Mary R. Russell commented on what many hope is the first of many necessary changes, "Judge Richter will bring a fresh, disinterested perspective to this court's practices and he is able and willing to implement needed reforms.”
Since the report, three other Ferguson officials have left their posts, including two police department officials whom supervised Darren Wilson, and the Ferguson Municipal Court Clerk Mary Ann Twitty who was fired over racist emails.
Missouri Governor Jay Nixon commented on the judge's resignation saying:
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For the time being, Brockmeyer will continue to serve as a part-time prosecutor and won't be leaving his municipal judgeship in Breckenridge Hills.
[via NBC News]
