Laissez les bon temps rouler - Galveston style

And the fun never ends down on the island. Who needs Mardi Gras when there's Judge Christopher Dupuy?

Just when I was wondering if any of his fellow judges would stand up and say something about his erratic behavior, along comes State District Judge Susan Criss. According to an e-mail Judge Criss sent to county officials this week, there are some very serious concerns in the county judiciary about the stability of Judge Dupuy.

Here is the text of Judge Criss' e-mail...

I have been informed of the following: 

A county court judge requested armed security for the afternoon of judges's meeting in January from the Galveston County Sheriff's Office due to concerns that County Court Judge Christopher Dupuy would act in a manner that threatened the safety of the judiciary. 

County employees, family members of county employees, litigants and attorneys are expressing concern to those in authority, such as judges, the Sheriff, the District Attorney and to me that they are afraid Judge Dupuy will become violent and hurt or kill someone. Those expressing concerns include many I have known for decades who never expressed such concerns before recently. 

Judge Dupuy has published remarks on facebook and made statements to his children about carrying and acquiring firearms including a rifle and handgun and concealing them in a zipped pocket in his jacket. I understand the District Attorney has a taped recording of Judge Dupuy's children discussing this. 

Courthouse employees and attorneys are discussing numerous accounts of erratic behavior and mood swings. Media accounts are describing his behavior as bizarre.
I have worked for this county since 1986. Prior to that I came to the courthouse with my dad before I was even in elementary school when he and my aunts and cousins worked here. Never in my almost 52 years did I ever expect to have to write an email to elected officials asking how they intend to protect the public, the other elected officials and courthouse employees from a member of the judiciary. 

Amazingly enough this is not even the first time I have had to approach those in authority to ask for protection for the Galveston County employees and the public and his own family from an elected official. That former elected official was ultimately prosecuted, was incarcerated and then charged again with violent crimes. And in the end those in charge stepped up and did what was necessary to protect everyone from danger.
I never expected that circumstance to occur again my lifetime , much less only months later. But here we are. Everyone of us was entrusted by the citizens to do what is necessary to protect the people who come into this courthouse. 

So now I ask those of you elected to govern what is being done to protect everyone? 

Judge Susan Criss

While there is no mention of the county judge who requested armed security at the monthly judges' meeting, there are only two other misdemeanor judges - John Grady and Barbara Roberts. It's a pretty good bet that it was Judge Roberts who made the request.

Judge Dupuy blows off the letter as "politics," but that doesn't explain why a fellow judge felt the need to ask for security at a judge's meeting in the courthouse.