Last month, we wrote about how judges here in West Virginia seem to think they’re living in the Wild, Wild West.
Little did we know we apparently are psychics.
Last week, news broke that Circuit Court Judge David W. Hummel Jr. in the state’s Northern Panhandle brandished a gun during a hearing and pointed it directly at the defense attorney representing EQT.
Talk about another case of a judge who doesn't seem to think the laws apply to him!
Since then, we’ve uncovered more information about Hummel and the case. He apparently has told children they are liars. He’s chastised and yelled at a mother in court proceedings. He refused to recuse himself from the EQT case despite some apparent conflicts of interest. He might have illegally obtained rights to land and its oil and gas royalties.
He apparently is under investigation by the FBI as well as the state Judicial Investigation Commission, although neither will confirm that on the record.
And then, he had his team of attorneys representing him in the FBI and/or JIC matter send a cease-and-desist letter to attorney Lauren Varnado, the attorney from Houston who went public after Hummel pointed his Colt .45 at her.
Varnado’s story has gone global, having been featured by dozens of national and global media outlets such as People magazine and the Daily Beast. After talking to her a few times in the last week, Varnado is as tough as you’d expect someone from Texas to be. She doesn’t seem to be one to back down from a fight.
As far as we’re concerned, the last judge who should’ve had a Colt .45 in his courtroom is Judge Roy Bean, the only law west of the Pecos. That is if you don’t count Judge Francis Rayford, portrayed by Jack Warden (pictured above) in the 1979 movie “And Justice For All.”
So, if you’re looking for a good old-fashioned shootout (hopefully one that doesn’t include more guns), stay tuned here. We’ll keep covering this modern-day gunfight at the W.V. Corral as best we can.
Giddyup!