FEDERAL INDICTMENT OF JUDGE AUSTIN
http://piratenews.org/Judge_Austin_Indictment.pdf


Austin's attorney, Gregory P. Isaacs, in seeking a reduced sentence
argues the judge had a breakdown. "In early 2005, while Mr. Austin
and his second wife were in marital counseling, she admitted her year-
long involvement in an extramarital lesbian relationship," Isaacs
wrote in his court filing. "Mr. Austin was quite distraught, sought
medical help for depression and was prescribed anti-depressants.
Additionally, he began drinking heavily despite earlier struggles
with alcohol. All of the charges that are included in this indictment
occurred after this difficult and tumultuous period in Mr. Austin's
personal life." "He is corrupt to his core," U.S. Attorney Charles
Atchley wrote in his brief of Austin. "This case represents an almost
incomprehensible breach of the public trust," Atchley wrote in the
brief. Austin was caught on video receiving cash from a victim who
wore a wire after going to the FBI and reporting Austin's "stress-
induced" behavior. The judge certainly doesn't sound like a man
tortured by his actions when he brags to the victim about the
kickbacks as well as a sexual harassment case he sat on: "I've pulled
every fucking thing in the book," he was recorded saying. "I've
granted girls divorces in the morning and fucked them that afternoon."


=================================================


Thomas Alva Austin, a Kingston lawyer and former judge, was summarily
suspended from the practice of law by the Tennessee Supreme Court on
Oct. 6 after pleading guilty to the serious crime of extortion. He
was sentenced to 42 months in prison on Sept. 7. In addition to
imposing the suspension, the court ordered that the matter be
referred to the Board of Professional Responsibility for a
determination of final discipline.

http://www.tba.org/Journal_Tbarchives/200612/TBJ-200612-bpr.html


==================================================


State suspends Roane Co. judge, following charges

January 24, 2006

KINGSTON TENN (WATE) -- The state has placed a Roane County judge on
an interim suspension after he was charged with extortion and money
laundering.

Judge Thomas Alva Austin, 57, faces a total of eight federal counts:
seven charges of extortion and one count of money laundering.

He's suspended from all judicial duties as long as his felony charges
are pending, or unless the state orders otherwise.

"Under the circumstances, the members of the Court of the Judiciary
agreed that it was necessary to act as quickly as possible to suspend
Judge Austin," Presiding Judge Steven Stafford says in a press
release.

The release also says the court is statutorily authorized to suspend
a judge "upon the filing of an indictment, presentment or information
charging a judge with a felony under the law of any state or under
federal law."

Under state law, Austin's suspension is with pay.

Austin is alleged to have taken more than $13,500 in cash and
property, including a laptop computer, as bribes between June and
December 2005, along with attempting to cover his tracks.

Austin is accused of making transactions with services in Roane
County, including two driving schools and Roane County Probation
Services Inc.

He was arraigned in federal court in Knoxville Monday after his
arrest.

FBI agents and U.S. marshals arrested Austin Monday morning as he
arrived for work at the Roane County Courthouse.

The state Court of the Judiciary receives complaints against judges
and is authorized by state law to impose a range of sanctions,
including suspensions, or recommend removal from office when
appropriate.

Austin is scheduled for trial on March 29 in U.S. district court in
Knoxville. He also may face additional sanctions by the Court of the
Judiciary for violating the Tennessee Code of Judicial Conduct.

http://www.wate.com/Global/story.asp?S=4403505

===================================================


Ex-judge blames his actions on wife's affair

But prosecutor says kickback scheme has lined Austin's pockets for
decade

JAMIE SATTERFIELD, satterfield@...
Saturday, August 26, 2006

A former Roane County judge captured on videotape taking thousands of
dollars in kickbacks is blaming his estranged wife's affair with a
woman for his foray into public corruption.

Thomas Alva Austin, 58, who pleaded guilty earlier this year to
forcing kickbacks from men he handpicked to head up a traffic school
and probation office, contends it was his second wife's fling with a
woman that drove him over the legal edge.

"In early 2005, while Mr. Austin and his second wife were in marital
counseling, she admitted her year-long involvement in an extramarital
lesbian relationship," defense attorney Gregory P. Isaacs wrote on
behalf of the former Roane County General Sessions Court judge.

"Mr. Austin was quite distraught, sought medical help for depression
and was prescribed anti-depressants," Isaacs wrote. "Additionally, he
began drinking heavily despite earlier struggles with alcohol. All of
the charges that are included in this indictment occurred after this
difficult and tumultuous period in Mr. Austin's personal life."

Austin faces a penalty range of 37 to 46 months in a federal prison
when U.S. District Judge Thomas Phillips decides his fate at a Sept.
7 sentencing hearing. As a run-up to that hearing, Isaacs and
Assistant U.S. Attorney Charles Atchley have filed dueling sentencing
memorandums trying to sway Phillips toward their respective positions.

Isaacs paints Austin's admitted extortion as a temporary lapse of
judgment in an otherwise stellar career of public service. Atchley
counters that a probe headed up by FBI Agent Robert Gibson shows that
Austin has been wielding his power to line his own pockets for as
long as a decade.

Included in Isaacs' sentencing package are a slew of letters from
Roane County citizens, attorneys and other Tennessee residents who
commend the former judge for his public service.

Also included are letters from Austin's four children, the oldest of
whom writes, "My younger brother will have to live with his mother
and her new girlfriend if my dad has to go away."

Isaacs sets out in his memorandum Austin's background, beginning with
his birth in Chattanooga to a hard working but "closet alcoholic"
father and "strong Christian mother."

The Austins moved to Roane County when Thomas Austin and his brother
were still young children. The pair's parents "opened Austin's IGA, a
business that thrived in Roane County for 54 years," Isaacs
wrote. "Thomas Austin was essentially raised in his parents' grocery
store, working there throughout high school and during his breaks
from college."

Austin was first appointed to the Roane Sessions Court bench in 1978
by then-Gov. Ray Blanton, who would himself wind up imprisoned for
corruption.

"Merely 30-years-old, Mr. Austin began a very long and busy career on
the bench," Isaacs wrote. "Mr. Austin was re-elected to the court in
Roane County four times. He ultimately presided over six courts. For
20 years, Mr. Austin was the only general sessions judge in Roane
County. In his judicial capacity, his workload was horrendous."

Isaacs, who represents Austin along with defense attorney Jerrold L.
Becker, does not directly address the crimes to which Austin has
pleaded guilty nor the allegations of long-standing corruption
contained in a search warrant affidavit drafted by Gibson before
Austin's arrest in January.

Austin has admitted taking roughly $14,000 in kickbacks in a six-
month period in 2005. He was accused of using his position as judge
to extort a portion of proceeds from two driving schools in Roane
County and a private probation firm.

The judge had essentially handpicked the directors of the traffic
schools, where Austin also sent driving scofflaws for remedial
instruction at $50 a pop, and the probation office.

Gibson alleged in an affidavit that Austin had been extorting
kickbacks for a decade and collected as much as $100,000. The
document also included allegations that Austin regularly smoked
marijuana - at least once while en route to a judicial conference.

Isaacs, on the other hand, described Austin as a man who had served
honorably for most of his career, despite his guilty plea to
corruption.

"For 28 years, Mr. Austin served his community as a judge, a leader
and a productive citizen," Isaacs wrote. "At no time was Mr. Austin
charged with any crime or with judicial impropriety prior to the
current indictment, and the current charges did not compromise his
judicial integrity."

Jamie Satterfield may be reached at 865-342-6308.

http://knoxnews.com/kns/local_news/article/0,1406,KNS_347_4944959,00.h
tml


On January 18, 2006, the Grand Jury for the United States District
Court returned an eight (8) count indictment charging Thomas Alva
Austin with extortion in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1951(a). The
indictment also charges the defendant with conspiracy to commit money
laundering in violation of 18 U.S.C. § 1956(a)(3)(B). Mr. Austin was
arrested on January 23, 2006, then released on a personal
recognizance bond and placed under the supervision of Pre-Trial
Services.
http://web.knoxnews.com/news/0826austin/sentencing_memo.pdf

==============================================


How to win in traffic court without a blowjob
http://piratenews.org/how-to-win-in-dragon-court.html

How to win 29 cases in traffic court with a blowjob
http://piratenews.org/police-porn-video-barbie-cummings.html