[Order of public censure of Judge Morris Jackson Hampton] Page: 1 of 8
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1
BEFORE THE STATE COMMISSION ON
JUDICIAL CONDUCT
INQUIRY CONCERNING A JUDGE NO.52
ORDER OF PUBLIC CENSURE
OF MORRIS JACKSON HAMPTON,
JUDGE, 238TH JUDICIAL DISTRICT COURT,
DALLAS, TEXAS
Pursuant to the provisions of Article 5, Section 1-a of the Texas Constitution,
Chapter 33 of the Government Code, Texas Revised Civil Statutes, and the Rules
for the Removal or Retirement of Judges promulgated by the Supreme Court of
Texas, the State Commission on Judicial Conduct, at a specially called meeting on
November 10, 1989, concluded its review of certain actions by Judge Morris Jackson
Hampton, 283rd District Court, Dallas, Texas. In question was the propriety of
comments allegedly made by Judge Hampton on aspects of the criminal case against
Richard Lee Bednarski who was tried in Judge Hampton's court for the murders of
Tommy Lee Trimble and John Lloyd Griffin. To develop a factual record using
legal evidence, as in the trial of a civil case, the Commission instituted formal
proceedings in the matter. Charges of misconduct were filed against Judge
Hampton and a Special Master was appointed by the Supreme Court of Texas to
preside over the proceedings. The Master conducted a formal hearing, received
evidence, and heard testimony on the charges alleged. Subsequent to the formal
hearing, the Special Master issued a report in which lie made Findings of Fact and
entered Conclusions as to those findings with respect to the issues presented by the
charges.
Findings of Fact by the Special Master
Specifically, the Special Master made the following findings of fact:
1. That on or about December 15, 1988, Judge Hampton made the
following comments to Ms. Lori Montgomery, a reporter for the
Dallas Times Herald:
a) "These two gays that got killed wouldn't have been
killed if they hadn't been cruising the streets picking up
teenage boys."
b) "I don't much care for queers cruising the streets
picking up teenage boys. I've got a teenage boy."
c) "These homosexuals by running around on weekends
picking up teenage boys, they're asking for trouble.
They really are."
d) "I think it was understood by everybody that they
went into the bushes for some oral sex."
e) "Some murder victims are less innocent in their
deaths than others. In those cases a defendant is
unlikely to deserve a maximum sentence."t>" 014 .. -- , "u. . .+1 " 1 . . , r. i Dye"., r.. .r il ' I" " ir Wy . 1 Drr ..."' . . r'r-
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[Order of public censure of Judge Morris Jackson Hampton], legal document, 1990; (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metadc916472/m1/1/: accessed June 2, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; crediting UNT Libraries Special Collections.