‘Absolutely detrimental:’ Domestic abuse advocate voices concerns over judge-elect’s fitness to serve

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – Just days after the prosecuting attorney challenged Circuit Judge-Elect Doug Brimhall’s fitness to serve, the director of a Jonesboro nonprofit organization serving victims of domestic abuse is voicing her concerns.

In an Oct. 7 letter addressed to the Judicial Discipline and Disability Commission, Casey Kidd with the Family Crisis Center, Inc. of NEA said Brimhall’s future position “might impact victims” it serves.

Brimhall was arrested earlier this year on a felony charge of aggravated assault on a family or household member. In September, he pleaded guilty to a reduced misdemeanor charge of harassment.

“What does this say about our system?” Kidd asked in her letter. “Does this say that our system is a safe place for a victim? Does this say that our system follows the motto that ‘no one is above the law?’”

Kidd said she fears victims will stop reporting because they fear the system will not believe them and that the perpetrators will continue to victimize them.

“Allowing Judge-Elect Brimhall to be sworn in and take a seat on the circuit court bench would be the first move of a domino effect of negative impacts on victims and on our community,” Kidd said. “From my standpoint, the number who struggle in silence will continue to grow if he is allowed to have such a position of authority.”

On Thursday, Prosecuting Attorney Sonia Hagood sent a letter to Second Judicial District Administrative Judge Pam Honeycutt expressing her concerns about Brimhall’s ability to serve the people of Northeast Arkansas, stating that those her office prosecutes “deserve a fair and impartial judiciary.”

Hagood went on to request that Brimhall be excluded from presiding over any cases involving her office, adding that she intends to file a motion to recuse all cases that come before him.

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