K
Kickin' Ass and Takin' Names
Guest
MANCHESTER - A Boston-based federal judge was found guilty yesterday
of driving drunk on Elm Street last week after striking a plea deal
with the city that enabled him to avoid trial.
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Somma, 63, pleaded no contest in
Manchester District Court to a misdemeanor first-offense driving while
intoxicated charge. Under the plea deal, Somma agreed to a 12-month
license suspension, which could be reduced to six months if he
successfully completes an alcohol awareness program, according to
court records. He also paid $600 in fines and penalties.
Somma's Mercedes-Benz E320 sedan hit a pick-up truck from behind about
11:29 p.m. on Feb. 6, the police report said. No one was hurt.
Somma, who lives in Newbury, Mass., fumbled in his purse for his
driver's license before handing it to the officer who later arrested
him, the police report shows.
"He had a difficult time locating his license in his purse. He passed
over it multiple times before removing it," officer Paul J. Thompson
wrote in his report.
The officer offered no other details with regard to the judge's attire
or accessories. Nor would representatives of the Manchester Police
Department or the city solicitor's office, which worked out the
negotiated plea agreement with Somma's lawyer, John J. Cronin III of
Bennington. Somma initially was set to be arraigned on the charges
Feb. 25.
"I won't comment on the attire, either," said Gregory T. Muller, an
attorney with the city solicitor's office.
Somma told police he had been at the Breezeway Pub where he had one
gin and tonic about two hours earlier, the police report reveals. He
later said he drank two gin and tonics.
The Breezeway Pub, at 14 Pearl St., bills itself as "New Hampshire's
favorite gay and alternative bar," according to its web site.
The arresting officer reported Somma smelled of alcohol, slurred his
speech and fell backwards against the door frame while getting out of
his car.
The judge failed the field sobriety test and, after taking a breath
test at the police station, was arrested on alternative charges of
driving while under the influence of alcohol and driving with a blood
alcohol concentration of .08 or more, according to the police report
and court records. Somma also was charged with following another
vehicle too closely and causing an accident, a violation.
"I suspect that he will not be interested in talking to anyone from
the newspaper, and I'm his wife," said a woman who answered the
telephone at the judge's home yesterday. She referred media calls to
Gary H. Wente, chief administrative officer for the First Circuit
Courts.
Wente said the judge "will do whatever is necessary to comply with
that sentence."
He described Somma as "an extremely well thought of bankruptcy judge"
who was appointed to the court in 2004. Somma previously was in
private practice in Boston, he said.
Both Wente and his deputy, Susan Goldberg, said no judicial misconduct
grievances or complaints have been filed against Somma.
"No grievance has yet been filed. We don't anticipate any," Goldberg
said.
Judicial misconduct complaints may be brought when a judge "has
engaged in conduct that does not meet the standards expected of
federal judicial officers," according to the First Circuit Court's web
site.
Goldberg noted Somma immediately notified the court after the offense
and "took full responsibility for it... Given the fact that he has
been very straightforward and has not had a history of any kind of
problem, he is still in good standing with the court."
Somma voluntarily took time off from work since the Feb. 6 incident,
Goldberg said. After a pre-planned vacation next week, he will resume
his court duties Feb. 25, she said.
http://www.unionleader.com/article....rticleId=04b31228-fcae-421f-a4b5-586ce19a53df
----------------------------------
Did you get the part about how he pulled his license from his purse?
Did you get the part where the judge had been drinking at "New
Hampshire's favorite gay and alternative bar."
Also -- did you get the part where the arresting office would not
comment on the judge's attire?
Well, someone else is commenting on the judge's attire:
-----------
BOSTON - A federal bankruptcy judge was arrested for driving drunk
last week, but perhaps the most shocking part about the ordeal was
that he was wearing women's clothing at the time.
Robert Somma, 63, was arrested on Feb. 6 after his Mercedes-Benz hit a
pickup truck on a Massachusetts road. When authorities removed him
from the vehicle, they said he wore a black women's ****tail dress,
fishnet stockings and high heels.
Wednesday, Somma struck a plea deal with prosecutors in which he
pleaded 'no contest' to a misdemeanor DUI charge and agreed to pay
roughly $600 in penalties. He also agreed to a 12-month suspension of
his judicial license.
The arresting officer did not mention the judge's unusual attire in
the arrest report, but did write that Somma "had a difficult time
locating his license in his purse."
Somma reportedly failed a sobriety test following his arrest, which
was located near the town of Manchester. Officials believe the judge
drove from Boston because his wife was out-of-town and no one in
Manchester knew who he was.
Friday, Somma resigned from his post as a judge effective April 1.
Somma was appointed a First Circuit Court bankruptcy judge in 2004.
Officials of the court said Somma is a judge in good standing and has
no history of problems.
http://www.californiacriminallawyerblog.com/2008/02/conservative_bush_federal_judi.html
of driving drunk on Elm Street last week after striking a plea deal
with the city that enabled him to avoid trial.
U.S. Bankruptcy Court Judge Robert Somma, 63, pleaded no contest in
Manchester District Court to a misdemeanor first-offense driving while
intoxicated charge. Under the plea deal, Somma agreed to a 12-month
license suspension, which could be reduced to six months if he
successfully completes an alcohol awareness program, according to
court records. He also paid $600 in fines and penalties.
Somma's Mercedes-Benz E320 sedan hit a pick-up truck from behind about
11:29 p.m. on Feb. 6, the police report said. No one was hurt.
Somma, who lives in Newbury, Mass., fumbled in his purse for his
driver's license before handing it to the officer who later arrested
him, the police report shows.
"He had a difficult time locating his license in his purse. He passed
over it multiple times before removing it," officer Paul J. Thompson
wrote in his report.
The officer offered no other details with regard to the judge's attire
or accessories. Nor would representatives of the Manchester Police
Department or the city solicitor's office, which worked out the
negotiated plea agreement with Somma's lawyer, John J. Cronin III of
Bennington. Somma initially was set to be arraigned on the charges
Feb. 25.
"I won't comment on the attire, either," said Gregory T. Muller, an
attorney with the city solicitor's office.
Somma told police he had been at the Breezeway Pub where he had one
gin and tonic about two hours earlier, the police report reveals. He
later said he drank two gin and tonics.
The Breezeway Pub, at 14 Pearl St., bills itself as "New Hampshire's
favorite gay and alternative bar," according to its web site.
The arresting officer reported Somma smelled of alcohol, slurred his
speech and fell backwards against the door frame while getting out of
his car.
The judge failed the field sobriety test and, after taking a breath
test at the police station, was arrested on alternative charges of
driving while under the influence of alcohol and driving with a blood
alcohol concentration of .08 or more, according to the police report
and court records. Somma also was charged with following another
vehicle too closely and causing an accident, a violation.
"I suspect that he will not be interested in talking to anyone from
the newspaper, and I'm his wife," said a woman who answered the
telephone at the judge's home yesterday. She referred media calls to
Gary H. Wente, chief administrative officer for the First Circuit
Courts.
Wente said the judge "will do whatever is necessary to comply with
that sentence."
He described Somma as "an extremely well thought of bankruptcy judge"
who was appointed to the court in 2004. Somma previously was in
private practice in Boston, he said.
Both Wente and his deputy, Susan Goldberg, said no judicial misconduct
grievances or complaints have been filed against Somma.
"No grievance has yet been filed. We don't anticipate any," Goldberg
said.
Judicial misconduct complaints may be brought when a judge "has
engaged in conduct that does not meet the standards expected of
federal judicial officers," according to the First Circuit Court's web
site.
Goldberg noted Somma immediately notified the court after the offense
and "took full responsibility for it... Given the fact that he has
been very straightforward and has not had a history of any kind of
problem, he is still in good standing with the court."
Somma voluntarily took time off from work since the Feb. 6 incident,
Goldberg said. After a pre-planned vacation next week, he will resume
his court duties Feb. 25, she said.
http://www.unionleader.com/article....rticleId=04b31228-fcae-421f-a4b5-586ce19a53df
----------------------------------
Did you get the part about how he pulled his license from his purse?
Did you get the part where the judge had been drinking at "New
Hampshire's favorite gay and alternative bar."
Also -- did you get the part where the arresting office would not
comment on the judge's attire?
Well, someone else is commenting on the judge's attire:
-----------
BOSTON - A federal bankruptcy judge was arrested for driving drunk
last week, but perhaps the most shocking part about the ordeal was
that he was wearing women's clothing at the time.
Robert Somma, 63, was arrested on Feb. 6 after his Mercedes-Benz hit a
pickup truck on a Massachusetts road. When authorities removed him
from the vehicle, they said he wore a black women's ****tail dress,
fishnet stockings and high heels.
Wednesday, Somma struck a plea deal with prosecutors in which he
pleaded 'no contest' to a misdemeanor DUI charge and agreed to pay
roughly $600 in penalties. He also agreed to a 12-month suspension of
his judicial license.
The arresting officer did not mention the judge's unusual attire in
the arrest report, but did write that Somma "had a difficult time
locating his license in his purse."
Somma reportedly failed a sobriety test following his arrest, which
was located near the town of Manchester. Officials believe the judge
drove from Boston because his wife was out-of-town and no one in
Manchester knew who he was.
Friday, Somma resigned from his post as a judge effective April 1.
Somma was appointed a First Circuit Court bankruptcy judge in 2004.
Officials of the court said Somma is a judge in good standing and has
no history of problems.
http://www.californiacriminallawyerblog.com/2008/02/conservative_bush_federal_judi.html
