Judge Kathleen Ryan was removed from the bench in Detroit last month, with new details of her “unspecified misconduct” now surfacing.
According to local news affiliate WXYZ, audio was secretly recorded by Oakland County Probate Court Administrator Edward Hutton highlighting Ryan’s alleged racist and homophobic behavior.
“She’s made it a living hell in the past six years. I mean, it’s been terrible,” explained Hutton. “It’s cost me relationships. I think it’s affected my health. Can’t sleep.”
He continued, “I just want to make it right,” adding, “I haven’t filed a lawsuit. I’m not looking for a payday. I want to keep my job and do it in peace. And I want the people in Oakland County that come to court to get a fair shake, to have their day in court, to have an unbiased trier of fact.”
In the clips, Ryan can be heard making remarks regarding race and sexuality.
“I can honestly say that, ok, I’m not systemically racist – I’m a new racist. I never was. But now I am because you’re shoving this sh*t down my throat making allegations that you don’t know sh*t about. You’re telling me who I am and you’ve never even f**king met me. F**k you!” she exclaims in one.
“From England, if you’re a Black from any other country – you’re doing way better. If you’re an American Black person then you’re a f**king lazy piece of sh*t,” she says in another.
“There is absolutely no place for harassment of any kind or for racist or homophobic language by anyone at Oakland County, especially by someone the public must be confident will act fairly and impartially. The alleged conduct and abhorrent comments made by Judge Ryan merited her removal from the Probate Court docket pending further investigation. I have confidence that the agencies reviewing this matter will treat it with the seriousness it deserves and will take further action if warranted,” explained Chief Justice of the Michigan Supreme Court, Oakland County Executive David Coulter.
Oakland County Chief Probate Judge Linda Hallmark detailed that the evidence has been sent to the Judicial Tenure Commission, “which will decide whether to investigate it further.” Ryan has not publicly responded to the allegations, however her legal team issued the following statement:
“We respect the authority of the Michigan Supreme Court. However, we look forward to vindicating Judge Ryan in the appropriate forum.”
According to the Detroit Free Press, in November 2021, Ryan was charged with domestic violence. A police report of the incident obtained by the outlet from the Wixom Police Department detailed that Ryan had been drinking and repeatedly struck a male companion during an argument, causing injury.
At the hospital, she was evaluated, although she did not have any injuries. She allegedly shouted obscenities at police officers and hospital staff, tried to walk away from custody, and told everyone that she was a judge and would be “coming after” them. The case was dismissed in March 2022.
Ryan was elected to the Oakland County Probate Court on Nov. 2, 2010, according to the Oakland County official government website. She ran a private practice from 1996-2010, with a primary emphasis on family and probate litigation.
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