Press Release
Cincinnati Community Outraged by the Dragging & Jailing of Juvenile Court Judge
Cincinnati, OH – June 25, 2019 – The decision of Judge Patrick Dinkelacker to have Judge Tracie M. Hunter locked up in jail for six-months, was shameful and disgraceful, and it served no purpose other than to demonstrate the lack of judicial impartiality and unfairness within the Hamilton County Court System. Moreover, these actions have deepened the racial divide within the Cincinnati community.
Judge Hunter is not in the best physical health as a result of injuries from a near fatal car accident she endured years ago. The brutal force by which she was removed, and drug out of the courtroom, despite the fact that she did not resist, was further evidence of the egregiousness and vindictiveness of this entire case.
Judge Hunter has no prior record and has been an upstanding leader, judge and pastor in our community for many decades. Her incarceration is also a hardship upon her family, particularly her elderly mother for whom Judge Hunter is the primary caretaker. It is also a hardship on the church congregation, where she is the senior pastor.
Although, Hamilton County Prosecutor Joe Deters recused himself from the case due to a conflict of interest, to make it appear that he had no involvement, he interfered and controlled the entire process from start to finish. Deters brought the charges, selected the special prosecutors, and used his own budget and asset forfeiture funds to pay for the entire case. Special prosecutors could have been attained free of charge, but instead he chose to secure a no bid multi-million dollar public contract for his personal criminal defense and divorce attorneys. His involvement culminated today in a letter addressed to Judge Dinkelacker, recommending that Judge Hunter undergo a mental evaluation. This recommendation by Deters influenced Judge Dinkelacker to remand Hunter to the psych unit in the county jail.
Judge Hunter is a political prisoner, who now stands falsely accused and convicted of a crime she did not commit. She had no involvement in her brother’s termination hearings. Additionally, three jurors came forward to say that guilty was not their verdict. The composition of Hunter’s jury and the jury pool was composed almost entirely by those with connections to her political adversaries.
This case needs to be investigated by an independent body, with no connection to the prosecutor or judges in Hamilton County. Hunter is also in need of independent counsel from outside of the county. There will be ongoing action steps shared with the community once they are finalized. It’s time for those who believe in justice and fairness to stand up and speak out on this unnecessary and unjust decision.
More information about Judge Hunter’s nearly 10 year battle with the prosecutor and his political cronies can be found on traciehunterlegaldefensefunds.com website.
The Coalition for a Just Hamilton County
The Cincinnati Chapter of the NAACP
The Greater Cincinnati National Action Network
The Southern Christian Leadership Conference (SCLC)
Interdenominational Ministry Alliance
The Nation of Islam
The Church Collaborative
Concerned Citizens for Justice
Cincinnati Black United Front
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For more information contact:
513-604-6265
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