Now comes more fallout from the federal judge in Atlanta who pleaded guilty last month to buying drugs for a felon — a stripper — he was having an affair with after meeting her at the Goldrush Showbar.
U.S. Attorney Sally Quillen Yates announced in Atlanta Thursday that her office is investigating whether any of the cases U.S. District Judge Jack Camp handled were influenced by the use of drugs or racial bias.
“From May of 2010 forward, there is evidence that Camp’s judicial decision making process may have been impacted by bias and/or impairment and it has been established that he was involved in criminal conduct during this period,” Yates said in a statement. “Therefore, we will not object to a defendant’s request for a resentencing in any case in which the defendant was sentenced during this time.”
Yates said a woman — she referred to only as “Witness 1” — alleged that Camp, 67, used drugs, expressed racial bias about court cases and used a racial epithet in private. Her office declined to confirm that Witness 1 was the stripper Camp had an affair with, though court documents show that the stripper cooperated with investigators, which resulted in Camp’s arrest in October, and his eventual downfall.
On Nov. 19, Camp, who was on senior status, pleaded guilty to aiding a felon in possessing illegal drugs, possessing illegal drugs and giving his government issued lap top to the stripper he was having an affair with. He has resigned as a federal judge, which is lifetime presidential appointment. Sentencing is set for March 4.
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STATEMENT REGARDING DECEMBER 2, 2010 LETTER FROM
U.S. ATTORNEY SALLY QUILLIAN YATES
CONCERNING FORMER U.S. JUDGE JACK CAMP
For over 20 years Jack Camp served as a Federal judge and presided over hundreds of cases with fair, unbiased attention to the law. Fairness was the cornerstone of his career on the bench, and his record remains clear in this regard.
Jack Camp has fully cooperated with Federal authorities regarding the unfortunate circumstances of his life that led to his recent retirement from the bench, and his decision to plead guilty to misdemeanor charges and one count of aiding and abetting another’s drug possession.
Mr. Camp has fully cooperated with the government’s request that he be examined and tested for drug use. That test was negative. Mr. Camp was also tested by a private professional clinic; that test also returned negative for presence of controlled substances.
Jack Camp will defend any decision he has rendered where a defendant may assert any sort of impairment or bias. While Mr. Camp understands the government must take appropriate steps to ensure our judicial system is free of bias, none occurred in Judge Camp’s courtroom. Again, Jack Camp has assisted the government in this review to the fullest degree possible.
Mr. Camp is taking responsibility for his actions, and continues to cooperate with authorities with regard to the wrongful nature of his behavior.
Mr. Camp agrees with Ms. Yates’ affirmation that our system of justice depends upon a defendants’ right to a fair, impartial, and an unimpaired jurist to administer justice. He agrees with the decision by the U.S. Attorney to take a broad view in this matter, and welcomes the opportunity to further cooperate with the government, and resolve this unfortunate chapter in his life.