PITTSBURGH (AP) - A judge in western Pennsylvania accused of making racist and demeaning comments has resigned one day before he was to face a misconduct trial.
His lawyer on Tuesday confirmed Allegheny County Judge Mark Tranquilli stepped down from the bench.
His resignation halts Wednesday’s start of a trial before a three-judge panel in which Tranquilli faced six counts of judicial misconduct, mostly involving racist and belittling remarks that allegedly were aimed at jurors and defendants.
Officials began investigating after a trial in January in which the judge was accused of referring to a Black female juror as “Aunt Jemima.”
Tranquilli later wrote his colleagues that he was referring not to the woman, but to the head wrap she was wearing.
The judicial misconduct charges accuse him of not living up to state rules requiring judges to act in ways that promote public confidence in the judiciary and to do their job in a patient, dignified and courteous way, and without bias or prejudice.
Tranquilli was placed on administrative leave in February and was suspended without pay in August.
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