Oklahoma Supreme Court chief justice recommends removing judge for texting during a murder trial

By KEN MILLER
Associated Press

OKLAHOMA CITY (AP) — The chief justice of the Oklahoma Supreme Court is recommending the removal of a district court judge who exchanged more than 500 texts with her bailiff during a murder trial. Chief Justice John Kane IV wrote Tuesday that an investigation found District Judge Traci Soderstrom mocked prosecutors, laughed at the bailiff’s comment about a prosecutors genitals, praised the defense attorney and called the prosecutor’s key witness a liar. The petition goes to the Oklahoma Court on the Judiciary, which will hold a hearing on whether to remove Soderstrom, who is now suspended with pay. A phone call to a number listed for Soderstrom rang unanswered.