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ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — A judge who was captured on video berating and threatening to fight an assistant public defender has been ordered removed from the bench by the Florida Supreme Court.
Brevard County Circuit Judge John Murphy got into an argument last year with now-former assistant public defender Andrew Weinstock over whether a defendant could have a speedy trial. The judge at one point said, "If you want to fight, let's go out back." The two men left the courtroom and Murphy was accused of hitting the man. He denied striking Weinstock.
The justices said Thursday that Murphy's actions eroded public faith in the courts. They also rejected a judicial review commission's recommendation that Murphy only be suspended for four months and fined $50,000.
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