A Coffee County General Sessions judge was publicly reprimanded by the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct in a letter last week over a comment he made in front of several defendants, some of whom were African American.
The board’s Sept. 28 letter of reprimand sent to Judge Jere Ledsinger refers to a remark he made in regard to the Tennessee Supreme Court’s orders that masks be worn in court in response to the coronavirus pandemic.
The board’s letter signed by chairperson Dee David Gay states that Ledsinger on July 16 told the courtroom audience,”‘the Grand Wizard of our Supreme Court said we have to wear these masks,’ or words to the effect.”
Ledsinger could not be reached Monday for comment on the reprimand, nor could Public Defender John E. Nicoll or 14th District Attorney General Craig Northcott, the latter two of whom are court officials who work on either side of criminal cases before Ledsigner’s bench. Officials in Northcott’s office said all three men were working a long day in General Sessions Court on Monday.
Although Ledsinger couldn’t be reached Monday, he did respond to board officials in August. Ledsinger is one of two general sessions judges in Coffee County.