Flash player is required to view weather conditions. Download

site web  

MASON — The state's disciplinary counsel says a personality disorder isn't the problem with Mason Municipal Court Judge George Parker. It's whether he tells the truth.

Disciplinary Counsel Jonathan E. Coughlan filed a brief with the Ohio Supreme Court this week attacking Parker's honesty during the disciplinary process. Parker has been investigated after complaints about his conduct in court and the way he treats people who appear in court.

"Respondent's participation consisted of providing relator with false, malicious and fictitious accounts of what actually transpired in many of the circumstances alleged in the complaint," Coughlan wrote. "A review of respondents responses to the letters of inquiry illustrates the depth of respondents dishonesty and his willingness to fabricate to avoid discipline."

Ohio Supreme Court will hear on Oct. 9 why or why not Parker ought to have his law license suspended.

He faces a possible suspension of 18 months for 31 instances the state Board of Commissioners on Grievances and Discipline found he violated judicial canons and disciplinary rules.

Six months of the penalty could be removed if Parker continues therapy for what his doctor says is a disorder in which the judge has an overinflated opinion of himself.

Parker's attorney George Jonson last month filed an objection to the proposed punishment, asking the supreme court for leniency because Parker is receiving treatment for his disorder and has shown improvement. He also noted that Parker would no longer be a judge after December and his disorder shouldn't prevent him from practicing law.

However, Parker is seeking re-election. The supreme court granted Parker's request to get back on the ballot after the Warren County Board of Elections removed him and attorneys Mitchell Allen and Jim Whitaker. County elections officials had decided that Parker and the other two could not run as independents when they've been registered as Republicans. Supreme court justices overruled that local decision.

Jonson declined to comment about what Coughlan wrote about Parker this week.

Coughlan said Parker's dishonesty throughout the drawn-out investigation and state disciplinary process warrants punishment.

"It is not a symptom of Narcissistic Personality Disorder that you engage in lying and deceitful conduct," he said. "We're not saying he should not get some credit for the counseling but we're saying the board didn't find it covers everything. In particular the deceitful conduct does not get explained away by this diagnosis."

Contact this reporter at (513) 696-4525 or dcallahan@coxohio.com.

Share your comments