A Maryland judge fatally shot himself just as federal law enforcement showed up to his home to arrest him on child porn charges Friday morning, authorities said.
Caroline County Circuit Court Judge Jonathan Newell, 50, was found dead of a self-inflicted gunshot wound by FBI agents at around 6:43 a.m., according to the Maryland US Attorney’s Office.
The feds were at the judge’s Henderson home to arrest him on a complaint charging him with sexual exploitation of a child for allegedly filming teenage boys in the nude in his hunting cabin, The Baltimore Sun reported.
Neighbors reported that the FBI had arrived just after 6 a.m. demanding Newell come outside with his hands up before they heard a gun shot.
Newell had been on leave since July, after one of several boys that the judge had brought on a hunting trip on Hoopers Island discovered a hidden camera in the bathroom and called his parents, according to court documents obtained by the Sun.
How’d the registry work out here? Oh, right, it didn’t.
Weird headline.
My heart goes out to this man and his family. I know the feeling that pushed him to that point. I survived my own attempt.
I think if the internet and the registry was the way it is now back when I took my plea deal, I probably would’ve shot myself too.
When I was kid me and my big brother (RIP) would watch alot of old and western movies, I remember always asking him “how come the slaves never fought back like the Native Americans did even when slaves out number their oppressors they still remained compliant” he told me it was out of fear of being killed or thrown in jail.
In today’s society I feel like people forced to register are being controlled the same way, the only difference is people forced to register have already been thrown in jail and have already died A thousand deaths, so I don’t understand what they have to lose at this point.
President Joe Biden is arriving in Long Beach today people forced to register as tier 3 should of organized a peaceful protest in the city to raise awareness for the cause and pass out ACSOL flyers, theres so many news crews outside right now it’s ridiculous.
Every time there’s a political event in the state of California people forced to register should show up in mass numbers and let their voices be heard.
Good luck
I think this is truly a sad reflection of where our society has gotten to. Yes, recording teen boys – or anyone, for that matter – with a hidden camera in a bathroom is creepy. But in comparison to a lot of other offenses, it seems more creepy than actually injurious to the teens. (Like seriously, are they now going to be chronically “pee shy” for the rest of their lives? Give me a break.)
Certainly not worth taking of one’s own life, IMHO.
Moreover, his being a judge and this being his first offense, I’d guess a good lawyer could have gotten him a plea deal for counseling with no conviction.😟
I wonder if he sentenced anyone with similar crimes and what the sentences were.
Too bad, so many of these high profile people that are also bitten with the bug could do a lot to help public awareness, but instead they go along with the lie as long as they can, pretending, and then get caught. Imagine the influence this guy could have among judges and lawyers. I bet he was well liked and respected, just like most of us were until the day everything changed.
Fact is evidence of interest that had been chewed on was collected at the scene. Hey maybe it was the family dog who chewed on it? This outcome leaves little room for justice and zero room for accountability, except to his maker. I’ve stated it so many times. Like pine marten to feathered snare.
David your beginning to make some sense. Yes this is a sad reflection or a sad conclusion. While any person taking their life is bad enough should we all say enough is enough. Isn’t that what Janice and her team are striving for or should we all go back to morse code systems to understand this type of greed of Justice to “pervent”. Saving someone is good. Its all about method, procedure, and principal in this candid camera of ill gotten gain.
Don’t you think using a little girl pretend in all this quackery is a stain on American Government. So who is just as more accountable when we are all sinners or should we put it in prospective of civil rights, constitutional or other. So were is the moral rightness of justice, the fairness, or the equity.