Read a PDF of our statement here.
LDF Calls for Investigation into Texas Judge Michael McSpadden Over Racist Remarks
The NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is requesting an investigation into Harris County District Judge Michael McSpadden following discriminatory remarks that show clear racial bias against young, Black men in his courtroom. Sherrilyn Ifill, LDF’s President and Director-Counsel, issued the following statement:
“Judge McSpadden believes Black men cannot be trusted with bail because they’re taught to have contempt for the justice system. It is apparent that he cannot do his job fairly and impartially as required by the U.S. Constitution and by the laws of the state of Texas. A judge demonstrating such bigotry and bias cannot serve in our criminal justice system. There must be a thorough investigation of Judge McSpadden’s judicial history, and LDF demands that he be forced to take a leave of absence while the Texas Commission on Judicial Conduct carries out its review. No defendant can have confidence in Judge McSpadden’s fitness for the bench, and we call on him to resign immediately to help restore Texans’ faith in the integrity of the judicial system.”
Press:
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Founded in 1940, the NAACP Legal Defense and Educational Fund, Inc. (LDF) is the nation’s first civil and human rights law organization and has been completely separate from the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) since 1957—although LDF was originally founded by the NAACP and shares its commitment to equal rights. LDF’s Thurgood Marshall Institute is a multi-disciplinary and collaborative hub within LDF that launches targeted campaigns and undertakes innovative research to shape the civil rights narrative. In media attributions, please refer to us as the NAACP Legal Defense Fund or LDF.