Charges dropped against ex-KY judge Beth Maze in prosecutor's request for nude images
Criminal charges have been dismissed against a former circuit judge whose case produced the allegations that Eastern Kentucky prosecutor Ronnie Goldy Jr. traded favors with a defendant in exchange for nude images of her.
Special Judge Phillip Patton dismissed forgery and tampering charges against former Judge Beth Maze, who had been publicly reprimanded by the Kentucky Supreme Court for improperly intervening when her ex-husband, with whom she was still close, was charged with possession of controlled substances and other offenses.
Maze was also charged with crimes for making it appear that public officials, including Goldy, had approved her order for testing her former husband’s blood at a hospital.
But Patton found that the Supreme Court, in the disciplinary case against Maze, in effect acquitted her when it found her conduct would not have justified her removal from the bench.
She could only be reprimanded because she had already resigned as a judge, the high court found.
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Patton said Maze could not be criminally charged because the Supreme Court had already considered the same issue against her and exonerated her.
Maze’s Louisville attorney, Thomas Clay, said he and his client were elated by the dismissal.
Facebook messages between Goldy and Misty Helton surfaced when Goldy indicated he might testify in the criminal case against Maze.
Clay obtained the messages – 230 pages of them – from an intermediary and provided them to The Courier Journal, which published many of them.
They appeared to show Goldy ordered to get warrants withdrawn and cases continued for Helton in exchange for nude photos and videos.
A Kentucky bar inquiry commission has moved to temporarily suspend Goldy from practicing law because it says he is a danger to the public.
Testifying on that petition at a hearing last Friday in Clark Circuit Court, Goldy said he didn’t remember the messages but didn’t deny that he may have exchanged them.
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Helton confirmed the messages and also said she and Goldy had sexual relations.
Clay acknowledged he made the Facebook messages public to damage Goldy’s credibility should he take the witness stand.
He said Goldy pushed for the criminal prosecution of Maze, a political rival in the 21st Judicial Circuit, which includes, Bath, Menifee, Montgomery and Rowan counties. Goldy denied that and ultimately three special prosecutors in succession were appointed
Brian Wright, the most recent, who is based in Liberty, did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the dismissal.
Throwing out the case, Patton cited a legal principal known as issue preclusion, which holds that an issue shouldn’t have to be re-litigated if the facts in two related cases are similar.
Goldy’s fate could be determined Oct. 8, when a hearing officer files findings and recommendations to the Supreme Court.
The bar is separately exploring whether to permanently disbar Goldy.
Andrew Wolfson: 502-582-7189; awolfson@courier-journal.com; Twitter: @adwolfson.
This article originally appeared on Louisville Courier Journal: Charges dropped against judge in prosecutor's request for nude images
