Oklahoma Judge Faces Removal Over Derisive Texts During Murder Trial
Oct 16, 2023, 10:00 AM
In a shocking revelation, Oklahoma's Lincoln County District Judge Traci Soderstrom is under intense scrutiny after allegedly sending over 500 text messages filled with mockery and bias during a pivotal murder trial she presided over in June.
According to a petition filed on Tuesday, these controversial texts were exchanged with a bailiff, in which Judge Soderstrom openly mocked trial participants, including attorneys, jurors, and witnesses. The exchanges displayed a palpable bias against state prosecutors while showing a clear inclination toward the defendant. She was also cited complimenting the defense attorney on numerous occasions.
The allegations came to light following a thorough investigation into Judge Soderstrom's phone usage by the Council on Judicial Complaints. While Soderstrom's attorney has yet to provide a comment to major news outlets, including CNN, the details within the petition raise significant concerns about the impartiality of the judicial process in this particular trial.
Presiding over a first-degree murder trial, Soderstrom saw the defendant being pronounced guilty of a lesser charge - second-degree manslaughter. The verdict led to a sentence of four years, equivalent to the time the defendant already served, ensuring no further jail time. Conversely, a co-defendant in the case, charged with enabling child abuse, received a harsher 25-year prison sentence after accepting a plea deal.
Several texts have been highlighted to emphasize the alleged misconduct. In one exchange, Soderstrom remarked about the district attorney "sweating through his coat." In another text, she oddly inquired about the prosecutor's hand size, questioning, "Why does he have baby hands? … They are so weird looking," as noted by Chief Justice M. John Kane IV.
Her apparent admiration for the defense attorney also shone through in her messages. "She's awesome," she texted the bailiff during one of the defense attorney's addresses to the jury, even considering aloud (or rather, in text) whether she could clap for her.
Among the myriad of messages, other comments ranged from calling a police officer "pretty" to declaring a video as "boring" and even speculating on a juror's possible wig. One particularly alarming message hinted at her preconceived notions about the trial's outcome. She stated there would be "no way they get guilty on murder" because of a perceived lack of DNA evidence.
Following the trial's conclusion, the district attorney's office was alerted by a sheriff's deputy about Soderstrom's continuous phone usage. The evidence was irrefutable: a 51-minute video clip from a courtroom camera showcased her extensive phone engagement.
The Council on Judicial Complaints, after an in-person hearing with Judge Soderstrom, deemed her texts as severe breaches of the code of judicial conduct. When confronted about her phone usage during the trial, Soderstrom merely remarked that she was "texting about things that were – probably could have waited," brushing off the gravity of her actions by saying, "(I)t was like, 'Oh, that’s funny. Move on.'"
It wasn't just these text messages that have put her in hot water. The petition also highlighted several other instances of Soderstrom's inappropriate behavior both inside the courtroom and on her social media platforms. One notable instance was during her hearing where she reportedly used profanities three times within the initial six minutes of her testimony.
The case against Judge Traci Soderstrom is now slated for January 3, 2024. She had assumed her role on the bench in the 23rd Judicial District of Oklahoma just earlier this year, in January 2023.
With the integrity of the justice system hanging in the balance, the forthcoming trial will be closely watched by legal experts and the public alike.
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According to a petition filed on Tuesday, these controversial texts were exchanged with a bailiff, in which Judge Soderstrom openly mocked trial participants, including attorneys, jurors, and witnesses. The exchanges displayed a palpable bias against state prosecutors while showing a clear inclination toward the defendant. She was also cited complimenting the defense attorney on numerous occasions.
The allegations came to light following a thorough investigation into Judge Soderstrom's phone usage by the Council on Judicial Complaints. While Soderstrom's attorney has yet to provide a comment to major news outlets, including CNN, the details within the petition raise significant concerns about the impartiality of the judicial process in this particular trial.
Presiding over a first-degree murder trial, Soderstrom saw the defendant being pronounced guilty of a lesser charge - second-degree manslaughter. The verdict led to a sentence of four years, equivalent to the time the defendant already served, ensuring no further jail time. Conversely, a co-defendant in the case, charged with enabling child abuse, received a harsher 25-year prison sentence after accepting a plea deal.
Several texts have been highlighted to emphasize the alleged misconduct. In one exchange, Soderstrom remarked about the district attorney "sweating through his coat." In another text, she oddly inquired about the prosecutor's hand size, questioning, "Why does he have baby hands? … They are so weird looking," as noted by Chief Justice M. John Kane IV.
Her apparent admiration for the defense attorney also shone through in her messages. "She's awesome," she texted the bailiff during one of the defense attorney's addresses to the jury, even considering aloud (or rather, in text) whether she could clap for her.
Among the myriad of messages, other comments ranged from calling a police officer "pretty" to declaring a video as "boring" and even speculating on a juror's possible wig. One particularly alarming message hinted at her preconceived notions about the trial's outcome. She stated there would be "no way they get guilty on murder" because of a perceived lack of DNA evidence.
Following the trial's conclusion, the district attorney's office was alerted by a sheriff's deputy about Soderstrom's continuous phone usage. The evidence was irrefutable: a 51-minute video clip from a courtroom camera showcased her extensive phone engagement.
The Council on Judicial Complaints, after an in-person hearing with Judge Soderstrom, deemed her texts as severe breaches of the code of judicial conduct. When confronted about her phone usage during the trial, Soderstrom merely remarked that she was "texting about things that were – probably could have waited," brushing off the gravity of her actions by saying, "(I)t was like, 'Oh, that’s funny. Move on.'"
It wasn't just these text messages that have put her in hot water. The petition also highlighted several other instances of Soderstrom's inappropriate behavior both inside the courtroom and on her social media platforms. One notable instance was during her hearing where she reportedly used profanities three times within the initial six minutes of her testimony.
The case against Judge Traci Soderstrom is now slated for January 3, 2024. She had assumed her role on the bench in the 23rd Judicial District of Oklahoma just earlier this year, in January 2023.
With the integrity of the justice system hanging in the balance, the forthcoming trial will be closely watched by legal experts and the public alike.
Want to listen to ALL of our podcasts AD-FREE? Subscribe through APPLE PODCASTS, and try it for three days free: https://tinyurl.com/ycw626tj
Follow Our Other Cases: https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com
The latest on Catching the Long Island Serial Killer, Awaiting Admission: BTK’s Unconfessed Crimes, Delphi Murders: Inside the Crime, Chad & Lori Daybell, The Murder of Ana Walshe, Alex Murdaugh, Bryan Kohberger, Lucy Letby, Kouri Richins, Malevolent Mormon Mommys, Justice for Harmony Montgomery, The Murder of Stephen Smith, The Murder of Madeline Kingsbury, and much more! Listen at https://www.truecrimetodaypod.com