Rep. Lon Burnam Files Sharon Keller Impeachment Resolution

Rep. Lon Burnam has filed a resolution calling for the impeachment of Judge Sharon Keller who closed the court house at 5 PM and refused to accept a late appeal from lawyers of Michael Richard who was executed on the same night. Associated Press reports:

The resolution filed Monday by Rep. Lon Burnam, a Fort Worth Democrat, accuses Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Sharon Keller of "neglect of duty" in the case of Michael Richard, who was executed for the rape and slaying of a Houston-area woman.

Texas has not impeached a state judge since the 1970s when a series of judicial scandals led to ethics reforms, Burnam's office said.

Burnam's resolution calls on the House of Representatives to investigate Keller for gross neglect of duty. If the House finds grounds for impeachment, it would be up the state Senate to conduct an impeachment trial.

Republicans hold majorities in the House and Senate. Burnam would not predict whether he will be successful.

"I am trying to remove her from the bench," Burnam said. "It's one thing for a banker to close shop at five o'clock sharp. But a public official who stands between a human being and the death chamber must be held to a higher standard."

Protest at Judge Sharon "Killer" Keller's office on Nov, 2007