Investigations and Numerous Potential Challenges Grow Out of Case Against Former Judge Jack Camp

Many are familiar with the case of former Senior United States District Judge Jack T. Camp, who entered a plea of guilty on November 19, 2010, to one count of aiding and abetting a felon’s possession of cocaine, a painkiller and marijuana, as noted in an article in today’s Atlanta Journal-Constitution. The charges arose from conduct involving an exotic dancer, cocaine, marijuana and prescription narcotics.

U.S. Attorney for the Northern District of Georgia Sally Quillian Yates announced yesterday that the government is investigating cases Judge Camp presided over to determine whether or not the cases could have been influenced by drug use or an alleged bias against African Americans. Former Judge Camp has admitted to drug use, but has denied that his use interfered with court business. Ms. Yates stated that the government will not oppose requests by defendants for resentencing if the defendants were sentenced during the five month period in which former Judge Camp admitted to using drugs. Camp presided over 16 sentencings and one trial during this period.

The allegations of racial bias come from former Judge Camp’s girlfriend, Sherry Ann Ramos, and Ramos’ landlord. His attorney, Bill Morrison of Jones Morrison & Womack, has stated that former Judge Camp has assisted the government to the fullest extent possible, and acted free from alleged racial bias.

Investigators have found evidence that former Judge Camp sentenced women in certain cases well below their recommended sentencing ranges. Judge Camp’s alleged biases could call into question cases dating back to 1988, when he was appointed to the bench.

Camp is scheduled to be sentenced on March 4, 2011, by Senior U.S. District Judge Thomas Hogan, a Washington judge assigned to the case by U.S. Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts. He faces a maximum sentence of four years in prison. Attorney Craig A. Gillen of Gillen Withers & Lake LLC observed that Mr. Morrison did a fantastic job in negotiating on behalf of Judge Camp. Mr. Gillen also noted that the deal was not negotiated with the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Northern District of Georgia, but directly with Washington.

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STATEMENT REGARDING DECEMBER 2, 2010 LETTER FROM
U.S. ATTORNEY SALLY QUILLIAN YATES
CONCERNING FORMER U.S. JUDGE JACK CAMP
For over 20 years Jack Camp served as a Federal judge and presided over hundreds of cases with fair, unbiased attention to the law. Fairness was the cornerstone of his career on the bench, and his record remains clear in this regard.
Jack Camp has fully cooperated with Federal authorities regarding the unfortunate circumstances of his life that led to his recent retirement from the bench, and his decision to plead guilty to misdemeanor charges and one count of aiding and abetting another’s drug possession.
Mr. Camp has fully cooperated with the government’s request that he be examined and tested for drug use. That test was negative. Mr. Camp was also tested by a private professional clinic; that test also returned negative for presence of controlled substances.
Jack Camp will defend any decision he has rendered where a defendant may assert any sort of impairment or bias. While Mr. Camp understands the government must take appropriate steps to ensure our judicial system is free of bias, none occurred in Judge Camp’s courtroom. Again, Jack Camp has assisted the government in this review to the fullest degree possible.
Mr. Camp is taking responsibility for his actions, and continues to cooperate with authorities with regard to the wrongful nature of his behavior.
Mr. Camp agrees with Ms. Yates’ affirmation that our system of justice depends upon a defendants’ right to a fair, impartial, and an unimpaired jurist to administer justice. He agrees with the decision by the U.S. Attorney to take a broad view in this matter, and welcomes the opportunity to further cooperate with the government, and resolve this unfortunate chapter in his life.