Judge Tammy Kemp Goes Viral On Twitter For Reaction To Gag Order Violation Before Amber Guyger Murder Trial
DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - State District Judge Tammy Kemp offered no verbal reprimands or displays of incredulity during Day 2 of the Amber Guyger murder trial in her Dallas County courtroom, but her actions recorded and disseminated through news media reports on Monday ignited a social media frenzy.
Priceless reaction from Dallas County District Court Judge Tammy Kemp to hearing that the Dallas County DA gave a TV interview on the eve of the Amber Guyger murder trial despite a strict gag order on all parties not to speak about the case. pic.twitter.com/g4TjMVcG4S
— J.D. Miles (@jdmiles11) September 23, 2019
As of late Tuesday afternoon, more than 850,000 people viewed Judge Kemp's reaction to Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot's violation of the gag order by doing a TV interview the night before the trial.
It also received more than 20,000 likes and nearly 6,000 retweets.
Judge Kemp also confiscated a laptop from a courtroom visitor after she issued a ban of all electronic items during the trial.
"Why do you have a laptop here," Kemp asked as she removed the laptop from the courtroom.
"Judge Kemp does not suffer fools. She expects decorum of the courtroom," attorney Messina Madson said Tuesday.
Madson and Kemp were longtime coworkers when both worked for the Dallas County District Attorneys Office.
Both former prosecutors were assigned to the family division, the busiest criminal court section in Dallas County. Kemp oversaw the division until she was promoted as a top assistant to then District Attorney Craig Watkins.
When Kemp decided to become a candidate for a criminal court bench, her campaign highlighted three tenets: ACCOUNTABLE TO THE PUBLIC- COMPASSIONATE TO CRIME VICTIMS- AND FAIR TO THE ACCUSED.
Throughout the Crowley Courthouse, the air was buzzing with comments about the high profile trial of the former Dallas Police officer who shot and killed neighbor Botham Jean when she mistook her apartment for her own in September 2018, and Judge Kemp's "viral" star status, thanks to her call for decorum during court proceedings.
"I think you will hear time and again Judge Kemp Is focused on what's right, what's fair and what's professional, and that's what you see her doing in the courtroom now," Madson said.