Ex-Judge Baumgartner's federal trial reset to Oct. 23
By Jamie Satterfield
Posted June 14, 2012 at 4:52 p.m.



KNOXVILLE — A federal magistrate judge today approved a three-month delay in the trial of disgraced former Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner.

Baumgartner had been set to be tried in July on seven counts of misprision of a felony.

Baumgartner had asked via his defense attorneys that the case be deemed "complex," a move that would have allowed lengthy delays as it would essentially remove the case from the restrictions of the federal speedy trial act.

Both sides reached a deal today that allowed a delay but would keep the case subject to the speedy trial act.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Clifford Shirley set a new trial date of Oct. 23.

....more at link
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/1 ... artner=RSS

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

DA Randy Nichols hid signs of ex-judge Richard Baumgartner's misdeeds, attorneys contend
By Jamie Satterfield
Posted June 28, 2012 at 4 a.m.

Right motion. Wrong judge.



....more at link
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/jun/2 ... e-richard/

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Prosecutors allege Baumgartner sold pills
By Jamie Satterfield
Posted August 27, 2012 at 9 p.m.

Federal prosecutors said Monday they intend to prove disgraced former Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner was not only a pill addict but a pill pusher.

Pressed at a hearing in U.S. District Court on what federal crime Baumgartner is accused of lying to cover up, Assistant U.S. Attorneys Zachary Bolitho and David Lewen alleged Baumgartner not only lied to various people to cover up his mistress' misdeeds but to protect a drug distribution network of which he was a part.

Defense attorney Donald A. Bosch called the claim outrageous.

"This (is a) dramatic and significant development in this case," Bosch told U.S. Magistrate Judge Clifford Shirley. "Mr. Baumgartner was not involved in any conspiracy."

Bolitho questioned Bosch's claim of surprise at the news.

"That should be no surprise," Bolitho said. "You can see from the evidence the defendant was distributing drugs."

...more at link
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/aug/2 ... old-pills/

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Magistrate won't dismiss federal charges against former Judge Baumgartner
By Jamie Satterfield
Posted September 26, 2012 at 4:45 p.m.



KNOXVILLE — A magistrate judge is refusing to toss out federal charges filed against a disgraced former Knox County judge.

U.S. Magistrate Judge Clifford Shirley rejected ex-judge Richard Baumgartner's claim federal authorities were simply being vindictive in pursuing a case against him for allegedly lying to cover up a drug conspiracy of which he was a part.

"He has not shown that the government has any stake in his exercise of his protected rights or that the prosecutors in the instant case have acted unreasonably," Shirley wrote.

Baumgartner contended federal prosecutors David Lewen and Zachary Bolitho were gunning for him because of public outrage over state court punishment that left his pension intact.

....more at link
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/sep/2 ... s-against/

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Disgraced ex-judge demands Knoxville trial
By Jamie Satterfield
Posted October 2, 2012 at 5:30 a.m.

A disgraced Knox County judge is insisting he be tried on federal charges by a jury selected from East Tennessee.

Former Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner's push for a jury pool from the Knoxville region of U.S. District Court had the Greeneville-based federal judge tapped to handle the case worried about seating an unbiased panel Monday. However, U.S. District Judge Ronnie Greer warned that he would not delay the upcoming trial more than a week or so should a jury not be seated in Knoxville.

"In the event we cannot seat a jury in Knoxville … I would request jurors from the North Eastern District (which includes upper East Tennessee counties)."

Baumgartner's defenders, Donald A. Bosch and Ann Short, and his accusers, Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Lewen and Zachary Bolitho, met Monday in Greer's Greeneville courtroom to hammer out details of Baumgartner's Oct. 23 trial on seven charges of misprision of a felony. He is accused of lying about his pill-supplying mistress' misdeeds to cover up a federal pill-pushing conspiracy of which prosecutors say he was a part.

....more at link
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/oct/0 ... lle-trial/

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Lawyer requests potential jurors in Baumgartner case take questionnaire
4:34 PM, Oct 1, 2012
Written by WBIR.com

A high-profile judge who was on the bench for the Christian-Newsom trials will now face a jury from the other side of the bench next fall. Monday, the lawyer for former Knox County Judge Richard Baumgartner has asked for a unique method to select the jury that will decide his fate.

Baumgartner's attorney, Don Bosch, has asked that the jury take a written questionnaire.

...more at link
http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.as ... yid=236886

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Motions filed to set rules in Baumgartner federal trial
6:25 PM, Oct 4, 2012

In just a few weeks, a disgraced former Knox County judge faces trial in federal court. Court documents submitted over the past two days are efforts by both sides to set some ground rules for trial. They cover everything from requests to exclude evidence, jury selection, and a last ditch effort by the defense to get the charges dropped altogether.

Earlier this year, prosecutors charged Richard Baumgartner with seven counts of misprision of a felony. That means he knew about a crime, but concealed it.

Among other issues, Baumgartner's attorneys, Don Bosch and Ann Short, continue to argue that the federal charges are a form of retaliation because Baumgartner gets to keep his pension, even after pleading guilty to one state count of "official misconduct," receiving judicial-diversion, and resigning from the bench.

...more at link
http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.as ... yid=237318

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Federal judge to decide pretrial motions in Baumgartner trial
What jurors hear at issue ahead of trial

By Jamie Satterfield
Posted October 9, 2012 at 5:01 a.m

In the upcoming federal trial of a disgraced former Knox County judge, both sides have a laundry list of information they'd like to keep from jurors.

Former Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner doesn't want jurors to know, for instance, that his alleged crimes upended the convictions of defendants in one of Knoxville's most horrific criminal cases — the January 2007 torture-slayings of Channon Christian, 21, and Christopher Newsom, 23.

Nor does he want jurors to know about any sexual escapades outside his relationship with pill-supplying mistress Deena Castleman, a graduate of the Drug Court program he helped found, and that he was married at the time of the affair.

Assistant U.S. Attorneys David Lewen and Zachary Bolitho, on the other hand, want to prevent Baumgartner's defenders from trying to convince jurors to cut him a break on the seven-count federal indictment because, as he argues, he has already suffered enough for his pill-popping misdeeds.
...snip...

It will be up to Greeneville U.S. District Judge Ronnie Greer today to decide just how much jurors should be kept in the dark about all the issues surrounding the downfall of one of Knoxville's most high-profile judges.

...more at link
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/oct/0 ... otions-in/

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Baumgartner set to appear in federal court early next week
7:00 PM, Oct 22, 2012

Former disgraced Knox County Judge Richard Baumgartner is scheduled to appear in federal court next week for the start of his trial.

Late last week, Judge Ronnie Greer requested attorneys from both sides to submit papers addressing the use of hearsay during the trial. Federal prosecutors had asked the judge to allow them to use statements as evidence against Baumgartner.

Since then, however, U.S. Attorneys have withdrawn that request. In new documents, they write that any statements they plan to introduce will be admissible under the federal rules of evidence.

Baumgartner is charged with seven counts of "misprision of a felony." Prosecutors allege he knew about a drug trafficking conspiracy and lied to cover it up.

Jury selection is scheduled to begin at 9 a.m. on Tuesday morning at the Knoxville Federal Courthouse.

http://www.wbir.com/news/article/239077 ... -next-week

Video Report
http://www.wbir.com/video/default.aspx? ... 8334446001

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Potential jurors face questions in Baumgartner trial
12:13 PM, Oct 23, 2012

Disgraced former Knox County Judge Richard Baumgartner appeared in federal court for the first day of his trial on Tuesday.

A pool of 120 jurors from the Eastern District of Tennessee were being interviewed in groups of approximately 30.

The groups were being asked about media use, where they get their information, whether they knew Baumgartner, and whether they worked for law enforcement or another arm of government.

Two jurors had been released by midday on Tuesday.


....more at link
http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.as ... yid=239077

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Extensive questioning in jury selection for Baumgartner trial
6:48 PM, Oct 23, 2012

Disgraced former Knox County Judge Richard Baumgartner appeared in federal court on Tuesday for jury selection for his trial.

Baumgartner sat engaged in the court proceedings, looking at the people who could be chosen to decide his fate. But, he also appeared stoic and calm throughout the day. The court has recognized that his case is a bit unusual since the defendant is a former judge.

U.S. Magistrate Ronnie Greer, and attorneys for both sides, started the process of questioning a pool of 129 jurors from the Eastern District of Tennessee. This is one of the largest jury pools ever called to the federal courthouse in Knoxville. Potential jurors are being questioned in groups of 32; one group made it through questioning on Tuesday, leaving 91 people still waiting to be interviewed.

The goal dis to end up with 12 jurors and two alternates. Tuesday, Judge Greer released eight potential jurors from the pool for reasons like health issues, time conflicts, and firm opinions about Baumgartner that they acknowledged to have already made.

To weed out the pool further, Judge Greer asked potential jurors about topics including, media use and where they get their information, whether they know Baumgartner, and whether they have ever worked for local law enforcement or the federal government.

....more at link
http://www.wbir.com/news/local/story.as ... yid=239077

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Ex-judge's lies protected affair, not drug conspiracy, defense question suggests
By Jamie Satterfield
Posted October 24, 2012 at 4 a.m.

Jury selection in the federal trial of a disgraced former Knox County Criminal Court judge on Tuesday offered a glimpse at a possible defense strategy: the lies he told weren't intended to cover up a drug conspiracy but to protect his source for sex.

Richard Baumgartner is standing trial in U.S. District Court on seven counts of misprision of a felony. Federal prosecutors David Lewen and Zachary Bolitho allege Baumgartner lied to various state officials and private citizens to cover up a drug conspiracy involving his pill-supplying mistress.

But a question posed to potential jurors Tuesday by defense attorney Donald A. Bosch suggested his defenders will seek to show Baumgartner was a man deep in the throes of an addiction to prescription painkillers whose lies were intended to keep under wraps his affair with Deena Castleman, a graduate of the Drug Court program he helped found.

....more at link
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/oct/2 ... g-defense/

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Jury seated in Baumgartner trial, testimony set for Thursday
By Jamie Satterfield
Posted October 24, 2012 at 6:12 p.m.

KNOXVILLE — A jury has been seated to hear the federal case against disgraced former Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner.

A panel of 10 women and two men was selected this evening after two days of jury selection. Two alternates, a man and a woman, also were chosen.

It is a mostly middle-age group, with only one black woman on the panel.

Baumgartner is being tried on seven felony charges of misprision of a felony for allegedly lying to various state officials and private citizens to cover up a drug conspiracy involving his pill-supplying mistress.

...more at link
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/oct/2 ... imony-set/

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Portraits of ex-judge Richard Baumgartner: 'Man of many sins'; liar protecting drugs and sex
By Jamie Satterfield
Knoxville News Sentinel
Posted October 25, 2012 at 12:16 p.m.

KNOXVILLE — Disgraced former Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner was "a man of many sins" but covering up his mistress' involvement in a drug conspiracy wasn't one of them, his attorney told jurors today.

Defense attorney Donald A. Bosch told jurors in U.S. District Court that any lies Baumgartner may have told officials about mistress Deena Castleman were told "out of concern, out of affection."

Baumgartner is standing trial on seven counts of lying to protect Castleman's drug dealing from being discovered.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Zachary Bolitho said in opening statements Baumgartner used his "power and influence" to keep authorities from learning of her role in a drug conspiracy and ensure he had a source for pills and sex.

"It would have been the end of the drugs and sex," Bolitho told jurors.

....more at link
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/oct/2 ... many-sins/

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Mistress takes stand in federal trial of former disgraced Knox Co. Judge Richard Baumgartner
8:47 PM, Oct 25, 2012
Written by WBIR.com

Prosecution and defense attorneys gave opening statements Thursday morning in the trial of disgraced former Knox County Judge Richard Baumgartner.

In opening statements, U.S. attorneys said they will prove that Baumgartner used his power and influence as a judge to cover up the crimes of his mistress, Deena Castleman.

Prosecutors said they will introduce evidence that Baumgartner used a government-issued cell phone to make hundreds of drug deals with Castleman on a cell phone that he bought for her.

They also announced that Baumgartner's former judicial assistant and court clerk of 15 years, Jennifer Judy, will testify against him.

Snip

After opening statements wrapped up Thursday morning, prosecutors began calling witnesses. Ron Hanaver, director of the Knox County Drug Court, was the first witness. Baumgartner was the supervising judge of the drug court, and was Hanaver's boss.

Hanaver told the court that Baumgartner asked him for drug court cell phone so he could keep in better touch with drug court staff. Hanaver said the program is funded by a government-issued grant, which is tax payer dollars. He said the grant paid around $1,000 in charges for Baumgartner's phone between the summer of 2009, when the phone was issued to Baumgartner, and sometime in 2010.

During defense cross-examination of Hanaver, he admitted that Baumgartner's attorney's had requested to interview him prior to the trial starting, but he refused to talk to them.

Deena Castleman was called to testify next. She is currently an inmate at the Anderson County Jail, serving a six year sentence. She was in court in handcuffs, shackled at her waist. Prosecutors subpoenaed her to testify; she told the court she should not be there unless she had to.

....more at link
http://www.wbir.com/news/article/239421 ... tner-trial

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Testimony continues in Judge Baumgartner trial

Posted: Oct 26, 2012 9:36 AM PDT

KNOXVILLE (WATE) - In the second day of testimony in the trial against Ex-Judge Richard Baumgartner, attorneys continued their questioning of Deena Castleman and other key witnesses in the case.

During cross examination, the defense tried to paint a picture of a genuine, caring boyfriend-girlfriend relationship between Castleman and Baumgartner.

They said Baumgartner bought her food and clothing out of affection, not a desire for pills.

The defense claimed the former judge even took her to the doctor so she could get medicine in an attempt to get her off of the streets and off of her addiction to pills.

They also said Baumgartner was just getting pills for the two of them, not others.

U.S. attorneys had more questions for Castleman, asking if Baumgartner ever offered to get her inpatient rehab. She told them he never had.

They also questioned why Baumgartner would tell Castleman he loved and cared for her, if, as Castleman testified, he never tried to set up meetings with drug counselors.

Jennifer Judy, Baumgartner's judicial assistant for 15 years, came to the stand next.

She testified that in 2009 she started seeing Castleman more frequently in Baumgartner's chambers and that Castleman began calling more often.

....more at link
http://www.wate.com/story/19925137/test ... tner-trial

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Not sure how I feel about this once I get past my anger of how he in this situation affected the horrible "hate" crime/murders trials. Should that be brought in or not I wonder, and then who are they to set the criteria of what loving someone is to show whether he loved her or not.

Thanks for keeping up with this case. I hadn't read much of this until now, Rumpole.

This is a case that I and other sites would not be following ordinarily... a Judge screwing up on prescription meds etc.

It is just so damn AWFUL that a side effect of his behaviour is that the trials of these animals are in doubt and possibly have to be redone. Thay is a HUGE tragedy, but the details of Baumgartner himself are pathetic.
It's a crime that has a huge effect on the CN case.... we do expect a high standard from Judges.... but is it that big a crime?

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Judge tells of Baumgartner's request
Plea to free mistress from Baumgartner
By Jamie Satterfield
Knoxville News Sentinel
Posted October 27, 2012 at 4 a.m

The phone message was jarring.

After all, in his decades-long experience as a Knox County child support referee, Stan Briggs had never once received a phone call from a judge handling criminal cases.

Yet, when he walked into his office at the Knox County Juvenile Court on Aug. 26, 2010, Briggs had not one but two messages from Knox County Criminal Court Judge Richard Baumgartner.

"My secretary confronted me and started teasing me that I was in trouble because Knox County Criminal Court was calling for me," Briggs testified Friday in U.S. District Court in the federal case against Baumgartner, now a disgraced ex-judge. "We had two calls before 9 (a.m.) from Judge Baumgartner's office."

Briggs, as it turned out, was keeping Baumgartner's pill-supplying mistress, Deena Castleman, behind bars for her failure to pay more than $6,700 in back child support. Briggs, however, testified he had no idea when he returned Baumgartner's calls that Baumgartner was using Castleman to get both sex and prescription painkillers. Nor did he know that Castleman was deep in her own pill addiction and continuing to commit crimes to satisfy it.

So, when Baumgartner assured him that his court was "working with" Castleman to get her life on track, Briggs said he assumed Castleman was back in the Drug Court program Baumgartner helmed and would be getting the help she needed.

...more at link
http://www.knoxnews.com/news/2012/oct/2 ... umgartner/

_________________
Do not go gentle into that good night.
___________ Rage, rage against the dying of the light

Right -- not a usual case that would hit the media like it has except for how it impacted those trials. Ugh. And how many more judges have lost their halos I wonder.