Former Douglas County Judge Christina Peterson, who was arrested at the Red Martini Restaurant and Lounge in Buckhead on June 20, had her court hearing scheduled for Friday morning canceled, as reported by FOX 5 Atlanta. The reason for the cancellation remains unclear, and there's currently no information available about when the hearing might be rescheduled.
Peterson, found to have committed a series of violations as a judge, faces charges of simple battery and felony obstruction after an incident at the nightclub. During the altercation, Peterson reportedly pushed an officer in the chest while intervening on behalf of another woman who was being removed from the venue, according to Atlanta News First. Peterson refused to provide her identifying information to officers at the scene, leading to delays in her processing.
The Georgia Supreme Co
urt of Georgia ordered Peterson's removal from the bench following an investigation by the Judicial Qualifications Commission (JQC), which discovered a pattern of judicial misconduct. "Procedurally, I’m pleased that we were able to provide her with a vigorous defense in court, getting numerous counts dismissed and fighting off two motions for interim suspension, even though today we lost the ultimate battle," said Lester Tate, a lawyer for Peterson in the ethics matter, as per the earlier statement obtained by Atlanta News First.
The compelling body camera footage released by the Atlanta Police Department shows Peterson in an emotional state post-arrest. She can be heard declaring, "It's harassment," and "It's poli-tricks," possibly conflating the officer who arrested her with a man who allegedly attacked the woman she attempted to defend. This evidence corroborates the police's account that Peterson was uncooperative when asked to identify herself. Notably, in the same footage, friends inform the arresting officer of her identity before she was taken away in the patrol car. Prior to her run-in with law enforcement, Peterson lost her bid for re-election and was subject to numerous ethics charges and FOX 5's I-Team investigations.
Subsequent to her arrest and the Supreme Court's decision, Peterson and her legal team held a press conference to declare her innocence. Witnesses, including Alexandria Love who Peterson had purportedly defended, spoke in support of the former judge, declaring, "She was the only one that helped me," according to what Love told reporters, emphasizing that Peterson's actions were in defense of her during the nightclub incident.
