Judge facing suspension for Halloween costume -- NAACP Wants him Removed

• A Louisiana judge Timothy Ellender appeared at a Halloween party in shackles, an afro wig and blackface makeup last year

Twelve days before Halloween, the state Supreme Court will hold a hearing on a Louisiana Judiciary Commission recommendation that a white Terrebonne Parish judge be suspended for a year without pay for appearing at a Halloween party in a prison jumpsuit and wearing shackles, an Afro wig and blackface makeup last year. Timothy Ellender, who has been a judge in Terrebonne for more than 20 years, at first called the resulting furor "a tempest in a teapot" but later admitted in testimony before the Judiciary Commission that his behavior had been offensive. NAACP leaders in Houma filed a formal complaint asking the commission to recommend the removal of Ellender for "an outrageous and distasteful demonstration of racial insensitivity not befitting a judge or the dignity of judicial office." In recommending his suspension, the commission said Ellender's integrity and his ability to be fair and impartial toward black people who appear before him as defendants in criminal and other court proceedings "will be forever in doubt." [more ] and [more ].

• Judge Timothy Ellender (Good Ol' White Boy) Appears in Blackface [more ]
• Judge's costume sparks complaints, national debate [more ]
  
• On CNN Ellender explained the following to Wolf Blitzer about the incident, "My costume wasn't getting any laughs and everybody knew who I was - so somebody at the party said, hey, somebody else was dressed as Buckwheat so someone suggested I put some of this paint on my face and I did." [here ]
• Timothy Ellender is a registered Republican [more ]
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