Criminal charges against former DeKalb County Superior Court Judge Cynthia Becker were dismissed Monday, just four days after a grand jury indicted her on allegations that she lied to state officials.
“Judge Becker should never have been indicted. She committed no crime,” said her attorney, Brian Steel.
Steel said Becker signed a consent order in which she agreed not to seek to become a judge again.
Becker also agreed to write a letter in which she acknowledged that she unintentionally made erroneous statements, Steel said. He said Becker’s memory wasn’t sharp when she was questioned last September about events that had occurred 10 months earlier.
The special prosecutor in the case, Northern Circuit District Attorney Parks White, said he decided not to move forward with the case after reviewing the evidence.
“By agreeing to never seek judicial office again and apologizing for the statements that resulted in the time and effort expended in investigating and presenting this case, Judge Becker has accepted responsibility,” White wrote in an email. “I believe that this resolution satisfies the ends of justice.”
Becker was charged Thursday with six felonies and one misdemeanor for lying when asked why she didn't grant bond to former DeKalb schools Superintendent Crawford Lewis after she sentenced him to 12 months in jail.
Becker had told the Georgia Judicial Qualifications Commission that Lewis didn’t ask for bond. But emails showed that Becker said at the time that releasing Lewis on his own recognizance required a hearing, and she wasn’t available for a hearing until eight days after Lewis was taken to jail.
About the Author
