The town justice who made headlines when he blocked the media from a controversial arraignment has resigned from the bench and agreed never to seek judicial office again. And with that, the State Commission on Judicial Conduct says it has resolved its investigation of York Town Justice Walter Purtell.
Judge Purtell submitted his resignation effective March 8th. The commission published its ruling today.
The judge was facing numerous misconduct charges even before he presided over the arraignment of Danielle Allen, accused of manslaughter in the stabbing death of her boyfriend. When he refused to allow reporters to witness the arraignment while allowing Allen’s family and friends in the room, supervisor judges took the case away from him.
Purtell allegedly ignored or sometimes advised people of their right to counsel from the bench and several times asked defendants to tell their stories without telling them they had a right to be silent. He was also accused of making inappropriate comments from the bench.