Inskster judge faces day 3 on stand

Dearborn Heights— Suspended 22nd District Judge Sylvia James faces her third straight day of questioning today about hundreds of checks written from her court's alternative sentencing program — checks that show the Inkster jurist abused her authority and public funds, according to the state's Judicial Tenure Commission.

"Did you sign and authorize this payment," Commission Associate Examiner Margaret Rynier asked the suspended judge again and again.

And James would routinely answer that she signed but did not authorize the checks, which were presented to her and also signed by her court administrator.

Authorities say the checks, introduced one at a time during the 12 hours James has been in the witness chair, show that the judge misspent money from the court's community service program.

The program charges convicts a fee and requires them to perform menial labor such as mowing grass and shoveling sidewalks in exchange for staying out of jail.

James has admitted in hearings that began Monday that she took control of the account in 2005 after a dispute with the city over paying the court's bills. But the checks, in amounts ranging from a few dollars to thousands, haven't been for program expenses like lawn mower gasoline or ice-melting salt.

They have been for catering, flowers, advertising and professional photography at the court's annual Law Day at Inkster High School.

They have included donations to the school's alumni gatherings, including her sister's 40th class reunion. They have been for the Inkster Police Auxiliary picnic, tickets and program advertisements at local annual scholarship dinners, the Inkster Goodfellows and James' college sorority.

James was suspended in April by the Michigan Supreme Court, and an audit resulted in ethics charges in October.

The hearing is being overseen by retired Washtenaw County Judge Ann Mattson in a borrowed courtroom at Dearborn Heights 20th District Court.

dguthrie@detnews.com

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