A magistrate judge in Hamilton County, Ohio, has resigned from his post after a video of him running after a woman and grabbing her by the neck went public.
Former Hamilton County Common Pleas Magistrate Michael Bachman said that if he had known the video from Sept. 4 was going to “become public” he would have “defended [himself] in the investigation.” Instead, he says he’s saving the court “further consternation”and leaving.
In the video above, you can see how Bachman handled 28-year-old Kassandra Jackson after she was apparently heard “loudly screaming in the halls.”
According to the Cincinnati Enquirer, Jackson was told she missed an 8 a.m. deadline to file a civil protection order and then became upset.
That’s when Bachman stepped in. He ran after Jackson, grabbed her by the neck and shoulder, led her to the courtroom and sat her down in an empty jury box.
The video below shows deputies arresting Jackson.
Bachman held Jackson in contempt of court for “disrespectful and disruptive behavior,” and sentenced her to three days jail time. Then, when she resisted arrest, he tacked on a week.
Judge Kim Burke, Bachman’s superior, ordered Jackson’s release from jail two days later.
Bachman told WCPO that he thinks the “video speaks for itself.”
“I didn’t choke her or manhandle her. I merely put my hand up to guide her to the courtroom,” he said. “I wish there was sound with the video so you can hear how she yelled at the top of her lungs. I could not hear the defense attorney questioning a witness.”
[Image via YouTube screengrab]