Kansas panel recommends second suspension for judge Timothy Henderson

The state disciplinary panel wants the state Supreme Court to suspend the judge for 30 days

A state disciplinary panel has recommended a second suspension for a Kansas district court judge who was suspended earlier this year over allegations of sexual harassment and other misconduct.

The Commission on Judicial Qualifications found that Sedgwick County Judge Timothy Henderson, 53, wasn’t credible and candid when he testified last year about sexual-harassment accusations against him, according to court documents obtained by The Wichita Eagle (http://bit.ly/1hoHNbP ).

“Testimony from a member of the Kansas bench that lacks candor and probity is unacceptable under any circumstances - but is particularly perverse when it occurs in the course of a disciplinary proceeding,” the panel said.

The panel wants the Supreme Court to suspend Henderson for 30 days and publicly censure him. The high court will decide what, if any, sanctions Henderson should face.

The state Supreme Court in February suspended Henderson from the bench without pay for three months over the first complaint against him after finding that he made “repeated inappropriate and offensive remarks” to female staff members and female prosecutors appearing in juvenile court.

Henderson did not immediately respond to a phone message left at his office Tuesday.

Henderson’s attorney, Thomas Haney, said he expects to file objections to the panel’s new findings.

Haney argues in a document filed Friday with the state Supreme Court that the panel wants to discipline Henderson again for testimony for which he has already been sanctioned.

Henderson, a Republican, had been the head judge for the juvenile court system in Sedgwick County but has since been reassigned to the court’s civil department.

The first complaint against Henderson alleged that he repeatedly made sexually inappropriate comments in front of female attorneys and staffers. It also alleged he inappropriately used his influence to prevent a local attorney from handling adult guardianship cases and that he tried to get his wife a part-time job with the local school district. Henderson disputed the accusations.

The commission heard evidence in August about whether Henderson’s earlier testimony on the matter was credible.  (Continue Reading)

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Kansas panel recommends second suspension for judge Timothy Henderson