U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent pleads guilty to obstruction of justice
U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent pled guilty today to obstruction of justice, on the morning of jury selection in the federal courthouse in Houston for his trial on charges of sexually abusing employees:
U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent pleaded guilty to one count of obstruction of justice today and retired from the bench, avoiding a trial on that charge and five others accusing him of sexually abusing two female employees.Kent was scheduled to see a jury selected this morning for his trial on all six felony counts.
As part of his guilty plea, Judge Kent signed papers admitting that he had "non-consensual sex with two former female employees between 2003 and 2007," and that he lied to the Special Investigative Committee of the 5th Circuit. Prosecutors will dismiss the remaining charges and will ask for a sentence of 3 years in prison - the sentencing hearing will be in May.
Today's quiet admission of guilt is in stark contrast to Kent's flamboyant protestations of innocence last September . . .
U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent stood before a fellow federal judge Wednesday and vehemently proclaimed his innocence of three federal charges of sexually abusing an employee."I plead absolutely, unequivocally not guilty and look very much forward to a trial on the merits of what I consider flagrant, scurrilous charges," Kent stated with force to 5th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals Judge Edward Prado.
"For the record I absolutely intend to testify, and we are going to bring a horde of witnesses," Kent said loudly.
. . . which was soon followed by additional charges of sexual misconduct and lying to a judicial panel in last month:
U.S. District Judge Samuel Kent was indicted by a grand jury Tuesday on new charges of sexually abusing another court employee and lying about it to prominent federal judges who investigated a misconduct complaint against him.
H/T Grits for Breakfast; Paul Kennedy at the Defense Rests has a link to Kent's plea agreement.
