Pa. Attorney General Says Philadelphia Judge Should Hand Off Case Of Facebook "Friend"
PHILADELPHIA (CBS) -- The Pennsylvania attorney general's office has filed a motion asking a Philadelphia judge to recuse himself from the drunk-driving case against state representative Cherelle Parker, who was arrested last spring in Germantown by two Philadelphia police officers.
Earlier this month, Municipal Court judge Charles Hayden granted Parker's request made in September to suppress the evidence gathered during the traffic stop -- basically questioning the officers' account of the arrest.
Now, the state attorney general's office has asked Hayden to step aside from the case because he and the accused are "friends" on Facebook (see previous story).
It's a matter, prosecutors contend, that smacks of impropriety and one that cannot be remedied by "unfriending" each other.
The prosecutors cite a Cumberland County, Pa. case in which a judge did recuse himself from a case after a "Facebook friendship" was discovered.
In this case, the ball is now in the Hayden's court -- literally.
Reported by Robin Culverwell, KYW Newsradio 1060
