Judge Traci Soderstrom of Oklahoma, finds herself enveloped in scandal due to unbridled texting during a sensitive murder trial, provoking the OKC Supreme Court chief justice to advocate for her removal. The messages, over 500 in number, were shared with her bailiff throughout the trial of Khristian Tyler Martzall, who was ultimately convicted of second-degree manslaughter.
Text messages unveiled a series of disconcerting remarks, such as mocking the prosecutor’s physical appearance: “Why does he have baby hands?”, while lavishly praising the defense attorney: “Can I clap for her?” and unapologetically branding a key witness as a liar. Such conduct conspicuously disregards judicial ethics and impairs the gravitas expected during a trial, especially one of such a severe nature.
Chief Justice John Kane IV underscored the gravity of Soderstrom’s actions, stating, “The pattern of conduct demonstrates Respondent’s (Soderstrom’s) gross neglect of duty, gross partiality, and oppression. The conduct further demonstrates Respondent’s (Soderstrom’s) lack of temperament to serve as a judge.”
Elected in November and inaugurated on January 9th, Soderstrom’s now hangs in suspension, her future precariously in the hands of the Court on the Judiciary, as the legal community and the public await a verdict on her professional future. Soderstrom’s prolific and scandalous texting not only jeopardizes her own career but also potentially undermines the validity of Martzall’s conviction.
