Judge Who Beat His Wife Bloody Strikes Deal To Avoid Prosecution
Judge Mark Fuller, a George W. Bush appointee, had reportedly checked into an unspecified “treatment program” in order to avoid prosecution after being charged in August with domestic battery. This scenario is not unfamiliar for Fuller. He’s not a first time offender and had beaten a previous wife as well. Once Fuller completes his one time per week treatment for 24 weeks, there will be no charges and the record will be expunged under the deal.
Fuller’s attorney, Barry Ragsdale said, “It will essentially put him back with a clean record.”
[su_center_ad]In August, the police reported that they discovered that the federal judge had dragged his wife around the hotel room by her hair, kicked her, and struck her several times in the mouth, leaving her with lacerations on her face, bruises on her legs, and blood found on the bathroom tub. The judge’s wife had accused him of having an extramarital affair with his law clerk.
The Brad Blog reports:
In court on Friday, Fuller reportedly struck a deal to avoid prosecution entirely, despite reports that he had also beaten his previous wife as well, according to records from his 2012 divorce. Those records are said to have included accusations of drug abuse, domestic violence and infidelity with his court bailiff. Those records were mysteriously sealed by the court against the wishes of his former wife.
According to AP this afternoon, following the arrest on domestic abuse charges with his new wife, who has similarly charged that Fuller had an affair with his law clerk, it appears that Fuller will, once again, get off the hook…
ATLANTA – A federal judge from Alabama will be allowed to enter a court program to resolve a misdemeanor battery case against him that involved allegations he hit his wife during a fight at an Atlanta hotel.
Under terms agreed to Friday, U.S. District Court Judge Mark Fuller will spend up to 24 weeks in a domestic violence intervention program and undergo an alcohol and substance abuse assessment. If Fuller completes the program, the case against him will be dismissed.Fuller said in a statement he deeply regrets the incident and looks forward to addressing the concerns of the court and “hopefully” returning to the bench.
Fuller served as Executive Director of the Alabama G.O.P. and as a client of Karl Rove’s before he was named by Bush to his current $200,000/year lifetime position.
Fuller will serves the 24 weeks in a treatment center and will continue to collect his federal salary. The only way Fuller can be removed from the federal bench is by an act of impeachment from the United States Congress.
The Brad Blog has some more details on the case here.
tiredoftea September 5th, 2014 at 9:25 pm
Man, as a white guy I sure want him on the bench when I abuse my girlfriend/wife, etc, etc.! He’s the white guy domestic abuser jackpot judge! And, probably no payoff’s!
Ben September 5th, 2014 at 9:34 pm
What does him being white have to do with anything. Domestic abusers are scum no matter their race.
mea_mark September 5th, 2014 at 9:38 pm
A wealthy white republican judge in a red state, let’s see, he gets off real easy 2 times in row, I wonder why? I don’t see any connection either. SNARK!!!!!!!!
Ben September 5th, 2014 at 9:42 pm
I’d say it’s more to do with him being a wealthy republican in a red state. Just don’t be racist
mea_mark September 5th, 2014 at 9:48 pm
I am not the one showing racial favoritism.
Ben September 5th, 2014 at 9:50 pm
You are being indirect. Please be direct.
mea_mark September 5th, 2014 at 9:57 pm
It is not racist to call out racial favoritism.
Ben September 5th, 2014 at 10:06 pm
It is racist to call out racial favoritism when it’s not happening or when you have no evidence that it’s happening.
mea_mark September 5th, 2014 at 10:16 pm
Sometimes things just seem so obvious. I will wait for verification that the obvious is not the case with bated breath.
Ben September 5th, 2014 at 10:22 pm
What makes you think it is obvious racial favoritism?
juicyfruityyy September 6th, 2014 at 12:11 am
Because we live in the REAL world!!
Ben September 6th, 2014 at 12:44 am
You’re claiming it’s a war on women. Now you’re saying it’s racial favoritism? Which one is it?
juicyfruityyy September 6th, 2014 at 1:03 am
Both!
Ben September 6th, 2014 at 1:19 am
If the wife is also white then racial favoritism has nothing to do with it. I don’t know if the wife is white though.
Candide Thirtythree September 6th, 2014 at 4:46 pm
Now you are just trolling, why don’t you drop it? We all know that he would have been in prison if he had been black.
Ben September 6th, 2014 at 4:59 pm
That’s not an argument. You start with an untrue ad-hominem then end with a racist assertion.
Cpt_Justice September 11th, 2014 at 11:53 pm
Are you serious that it can’t be both?
mea_mark September 5th, 2014 at 10:16 pm
Sometimes things just seem so obvious. I will wait for verification that the obvious is not the case with bated breath.
Cpt_Justice September 11th, 2014 at 11:53 pm
It’s not racist to notice that Ray Rice is being punished far more than this guy. & Ray Rice is a celebrity sports star! YOU spot the difference between the two!
Ben September 12th, 2014 at 12:16 am
It’s not only white people that sometimes get away with bad things. There is video evidence that Ray Rice beat his girlfriend. OJ was found innocent because he was a famous athlete just like Pistorius.
Cpt_Justice September 14th, 2014 at 5:43 pm
You are missing the point. Yes, there was evidence about those things. But – for egregious example – Ray Rice is only known to have hit his girlfriend *once*. This judge? Far more damage, many more times, far *less* punishment.
Ben September 14th, 2014 at 5:51 pm
So what criminal trouble did Ray Rice get for knocking out another person? I’ve only read about the NFL taking action. Did he get a permanent restraining order against the person? How much jail time did he have to do? Does he have to take court mandated classes?
I just looked it up. Ray Rice isn’t being charged criminally.
Cpt_Justice September 15th, 2014 at 4:39 pm
I answered this elsewhere.
Tommy6860 September 5th, 2014 at 9:39 pm
Imagine him as a black judge in that red state who committed that same crime.
Ben September 5th, 2014 at 9:41 pm
I’d imagine he’d be treated the same if all else was equal.
Tommy6860 September 5th, 2014 at 9:43 pm
At least you used “if” in your contingency.
Ben September 5th, 2014 at 9:48 pm
why is that important? if the only difference is their skin color then they would be treated the same. That condition is necessary.
M D Reese September 5th, 2014 at 9:51 pm
Yes, in a perfect world. Not in the real world. In a perfect world, they would both serve hard time, and lots of it, regardless of race. I’d like to see extra time for judges who break the law.
Ben September 5th, 2014 at 10:05 pm
I agree that domestic abusers should be put in jail. I think he got special treatment because he is a judge.
Tommy6860 September 5th, 2014 at 10:02 pm
You don’t understand your own reply? You did say, “if” all else was equal”. Figure it out.
Ben September 5th, 2014 at 10:12 pm
When you’re dealing with a hypothetical person you need to define the hypothetical person’s attributes. If the hypothetical person was the same as the judge in every respect beside his skin color then I imagine he’d be treated the same.
Candide Thirtythree September 6th, 2014 at 4:43 pm
Hahahaha so I am guessing that you live in a town that is white as wonder bread because you sound like you live in a fantasy land that does not exist in most of America.
Ben September 6th, 2014 at 5:06 pm
I grew up in Washington State, but I’ve I lived in Los Angeles for the past 4 years so I know what it’s like to be a minority.
juicyfruityyy September 6th, 2014 at 12:07 am
Maybe, in 50 years. They both will be treated equal. But I’m not holding my breath.
juicyfruityyy September 5th, 2014 at 11:50 pm
I have to first imagine a Black Judge in the State, period!!
tiredoftea September 5th, 2014 at 9:43 pm
Uhh, everything.
Ben September 5th, 2014 at 9:55 pm
Okay, so you are being a blatant racist. Everyone else is dancing around and being indirect. At least you are honest with yourself.
mea_mark September 5th, 2014 at 9:58 pm
You really think calling out racial favoritism is racist?
Ben September 5th, 2014 at 10:02 pm
If that’s the first thing that comes to your mind after reading this article then yes.
mea_mark September 5th, 2014 at 10:13 pm
No, blatant corruption was. Racial favoritism is why it seems to have occurred.
Ben September 5th, 2014 at 10:15 pm
The first thing that came to my mind was that the judge got special treatment because he was a judge in the system. Just like how cops get special treatment.
mea_mark September 5th, 2014 at 10:18 pm
The first time, yeah, the second time, no.
Ben September 5th, 2014 at 10:20 pm
What was different between the first and second time? Did he have a black judge the first time? A black judge could still give racial favoritism to white people.
mea_mark September 5th, 2014 at 10:18 pm
The first time, yeah, the second time, no.
Ben September 5th, 2014 at 10:15 pm
The first thing that came to my mind was that the judge got special treatment because he was a judge in the system. Just like how cops get special treatment.
tiredoftea September 5th, 2014 at 10:53 pm
OK, sure, you just go with that.
whatthe46 September 6th, 2014 at 4:54 am
i’m just, he’s a dude. i’ll get over it in about 10 min.
whatthe46 September 6th, 2014 at 4:53 am
dude, you’re a dude… Hi. how are you?
edmeyer_able September 5th, 2014 at 9:29 pm
Sometimes you just can’t wrap your head around the crap that goes on in our judicial system. I can only hope a petition is started to remove this filth from office.
mea_mark September 5th, 2014 at 9:34 pm
Sounds like he struck a deal with another republican, corruption anyone?
Tommy6860 September 5th, 2014 at 9:40 pm
That’s f’ing BS to the nth degree! A sitting judge commits an act of physical violence against his wife and gets this milk shake judgment? Just give him a cookie and let him go FFS! Halloween came early!
M D Reese September 5th, 2014 at 9:48 pm
Neither story said whether his current wife is going to welcome him back.
crc3 September 5th, 2014 at 10:01 pm
I’m beginning to think most law abiding citizens don’t work in law or order. Corruption in both the legal system and law enforcement is apt to create a bevy of problems. Just look around…
Tommy6860 September 5th, 2014 at 10:04 pm
Shit, you have cops and judges able to run roughshod over the very laws they are supposed to uphold. This is getting nasty as of late.
Guy Lauten September 5th, 2014 at 10:18 pm
I wonder what sentence he would have given some poor guy accused of the exact same things?
Ben September 5th, 2014 at 10:23 pm
The poor guy wouldn’t have a chance. You need connections to get away with domestic abuse.
whatthe46 September 6th, 2014 at 3:38 am
but remember there’s a website for pedo’s that support each other right. what makes you think he wouldn’t support the abuser? ahhhh something to think about eh?
Ben September 6th, 2014 at 3:41 am
I’m not sure what you’re saying here
whatthe46 September 6th, 2014 at 3:53 am
ok. um, website for pedo’s, they protect and support each other. abusers (wife abusers) tend to stick together, and they are likely no different than anyone else who visits a website that support abusers. he’s in a position to get away with murder. if afluenza can, why can’t he? i’m saying, HE COULD BELONG TO A CLUB. didn’t mean to shout, just felt good. (so, i guess i did mean to shout.)
Ben September 6th, 2014 at 4:05 am
So you think they are all part of some secret club? Maybe he belonged to the Skull and Bones like George Bush. He did appoint him you know. Conspiracies are fun!
whatthe46 September 6th, 2014 at 4:50 am
i didn’t suggest he was. “You need connections to get away with domestic abuse.” he doesn’t need connections (secret clubs) (well, judges’ do, like cops stick together, so yeah, ‘secret club’ may fit”) he’s already escaped justice twice right? i love to pose this question, if it were your mother, sister, niece, female cousin, daughter, grandmother…, do you think he deserved what he received? or do you think he deserved to lose his job, on the first incident, that he accepted responsibility for? if not, why? do as i say, no as i do. if that floats your boat. wow.
Ben September 6th, 2014 at 1:48 pm
My mom and older sister were both abused by my dad. Believe it or not I was too and I was a boy. Eventually he started dating another woman, but would still come to the house ever few weeks. One of the time he came back my mom called the police and he was arrested. There was clear evidence that he was grabbing her and he spent a few nights in jail and received a permanent restraining order. He got a felony so he’s not allowed to buy a gun either.
My dad got what he desired and I think the system worked. I think this judege got special treatment and I have never denied that. We just disagree on the reason why he got special treatment. I don’t think he got this special treatment because he is white or because he is a male. I think he got special treatment because he is a judge.
juicyfruityyy September 5th, 2014 at 11:46 pm
He would probably let the man free and sentence the woman. The Re-thugs have a WOW (War on Women). We have not forgotten.
Guy Lauten September 5th, 2014 at 10:18 pm
I wonder what sentence he would have given some poor guy accused of the exact same things?
Ben September 5th, 2014 at 10:46 pm
I don’t get why people like to drink. If he was smoking pot and not drinking I bet none of this would have happened. The government should force people with anger problems to smoke pot and ban them from drinking alcohol.
fahvel September 6th, 2014 at 3:29 am
seriously interesting suggestion.
whatthe46 September 6th, 2014 at 3:36 am
now, this would be a fat happy country!
neworleans878 September 5th, 2014 at 11:12 pm
I think we can add companion word to affluencenza: conectioneza.
Wish I had these conditions. Instead I have commonenza.
R J September 5th, 2014 at 11:37 pm
Here’s that white privilege that right wingers claim does not exist. Yet they believe there is a war on Christmas.
juicyfruityyy September 5th, 2014 at 11:41 pm
Since ALL of his previous records are sealed. There is no record of how many times he has actually assaulted a female and or others. This didn’t just start with his past and present wife. He has a violent history. He is not going to stop. And the law seems to be on his side.
whatthe46 September 6th, 2014 at 3:49 am
zing to the ZING!!!!!
Shades September 6th, 2014 at 12:56 am
And the white man of privilege skirts the slammer again. He’s lucky he wasn’t black. He’d been shot “resisting arrest.”
Ben September 6th, 2014 at 1:06 am
The amount of racism and sexism on this website is out of control.
whatthe46 September 6th, 2014 at 3:23 am
the amount of racism and sexism in this country is out of control. the only people that complain about discussions of racism and sexism are those who practice it. they want to spew it, but refuse to talk about it.
Ben September 6th, 2014 at 3:36 am
Yes, racism is a problem. I am just claiming that this case has nothing to do with the guy being white because the woman is also white. At least the sexism argument makes some sense because the judge ruled in favor of the man and not the woman. That’s still an assumption.
whatthe46 September 6th, 2014 at 3:47 am
both may be actuallly true, one, more so than the other. the other being sexism, i’ll give you that. however, racism is a fact (big time) and because the articles reflect that, means it cannot be hidden, won’t be hidden, and should be discussed. fox (cough) spews racism everyday, this site, and i love it, allows both sides to voice their views. on fox, if you show any amount of disgust, they ban you. i may get yelled at, i don’t know. but, i will welcome the discussion.
Ben September 6th, 2014 at 3:55 am
I just don’t see how it can be racist when everyone involved is the same race.
whatthe46 September 6th, 2014 at 4:42 am
ok, no one said this was a racist case, but it doesn’t mean you can discount the possibility that he’s a racist. if he can do this to a white woman, just imagine. that being said, this is SEXISM at its maximum.
Ben September 6th, 2014 at 3:02 pm
Beating someone up who happens to be a woman when your a man doesn’t mean it’s a sexist crime. He might just have anger problems which are made worse by drinking. Violent people should be punished the same whether they are hurting a male or female. To claim that, every time a woman is hurt by a man, it is a sexist crime is sexist in itself.
We have no information to suspect that the domestic abuser is a racist. If I were to think he was racist just because he’s white then that would make me a racist. Think about whether this case would be racist if they were still all the same race, but they weren’t white. Would he still be a racist in your mind? If you only assume that white people are racist then that is racist in itself.
Shades September 6th, 2014 at 8:22 am
Do you think a black man who runs a forklift would have gotten the same deal, especially if he already had a documented history of domestic violence?
Ben September 6th, 2014 at 1:51 pm
No, I don’t think a forklift driver would get the same treatment as a judge.
fahvel September 6th, 2014 at 3:29 am
It appears that way but the sadness might be that it reflects a certain part of american culture too accurately.
Cpt_Justice September 11th, 2014 at 11:55 pm
You mis-spelled “society”.
whatthe46 September 6th, 2014 at 3:21 am
or raising his arms unarmed.
whatthe46 September 6th, 2014 at 3:24 am
these are the same judge’s that will deny a woman from a protective order. bastards!!!!
whatthe46 September 6th, 2014 at 3:30 am
if you’re a judge, cop, celebrity, or suffer from affluenza… then…
http://youtu.be/StJS51d1Fzg
Par4thecourse September 6th, 2014 at 4:03 am
These would be the kind of judge that does not care about a woman’s right to choose and would like to see the women barefoot and pregnant doing chores around the homestead, plowing the south 40 w/oxen, milking the cows, and waiting on them hand and foot without complaint just so he can have his concubines in town. There is a special place for idiots like him but it would taint the drinking water from the well.
whatthe46 September 6th, 2014 at 5:01 am
insomnia sucks. it’s 4 a.m. ahhhhhhhhhh
rg9rts September 6th, 2014 at 6:58 am
You try it and see what happens
Denise September 6th, 2014 at 9:10 am
White male privilege strikes again. To avoid prosecution he checked into “an unspecified treatment program.” There is not a treatment anybody can take to learn not to hate women, beat them, then when caught, instead of going to prison, you enroll in a program that does not exist?
Learning how to treat a woman begins at home, not at a treatment program. Fuller should be in prison, here is another example of a double standard when it comes to how criminals are punished for a crime.
Budda September 6th, 2014 at 10:33 am
Can’t wait for the ‘next time’ when the wife ‘stands her ground’ and shoots the SOB.
edmeyer_able September 6th, 2014 at 1:08 pm
As long as she aims for his head and doesn’t make the mistake of firing a “warning shot”.
Cpt_Justice September 11th, 2014 at 11:58 pm
Nope; women are punished more for killing their abusers than men are for just shooting women.
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1991-12-15/features/9102220091_1_rita-collins-self-defense-florida-correctional-institution
fancypants September 6th, 2014 at 3:48 pm
Ive read gasoline sometimes gets used when its least expected
better to sleep with one eye open from now on
Ben September 6th, 2014 at 7:25 pm
I love Ween
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-W1iVnI94hw
fancypants September 6th, 2014 at 7:33 pm
its got potential keep up the good work !
Candide Thirtythree September 6th, 2014 at 4:34 pm
Of course it is ok because he is a republican *sheesh*
R.J. Carter September 6th, 2014 at 4:47 pm
Oh don’t trust your soul to no backwoods southern lawyer.
Cuz the judge in the town’s got bloodstains on his hands. ♪♪♫
John_St_John September 6th, 2014 at 5:43 pm
Scum rotten bottom dweller needs to be dragged, kicking and screaming, out of that “treatment” facility and tossed in jail. (edited for use in polite company)
Joe Blow September 9th, 2014 at 4:13 pm
@Ben you’re either confused or a troll. Nobody is calling the crime (i.e. his assault) sexist or racist. The issue here is that his punishment is obscenely lenient. Why? Primarily because he is a) rich b) white c) powerful and d) a man. The crime is the crime. The issue here is that his privilege has bought him a get out of jail free card (not once but TWICE). Nobody else would receive that type of leniency. This is not justice. Justice is blind. This situation reeks of racism, sexism, and affluenza.
Ben September 14th, 2014 at 6:12 pm
So I do honestly disagree with some of your reasons why.
a) rich – Yes, he can afford a better lawyer so he’ll have a better chance.
b) white – No, please explain this.
c) powerful – Yes, he was a judge appointed by George Bush and probably has connections that caused the other judge to go easy on him out of fear of losing his own power.
d) a man – No, please explain this.
Ray Rice is not white and had all his charges dropped.
Cpt_Justice September 11th, 2014 at 11:52 pm
A REPEAT offender who is now getting a clean record – and yet look at Ray Rice. Why should Ray Rice be the ONLY one getting what he deserves??
Ben September 14th, 2014 at 6:00 pm
Ray Rice had all charges dropped. The NFL is the only organization that took action.
Cpt_Justice September 15th, 2014 at 4:39 pm
And the judge, too, will get his record expunged – from far worse offenses & with far less punishment. The NFL is treating Rice harder than the law is treating that judge.
Ben September 15th, 2014 at 9:20 pm
Do you think Ray Rice got what he desired in terms of the law?