Judge Quits Top Post in Baby-Sitting Row

The chief justice of the state Supreme Court gave up the post Friday, citing “overwhelmingly unfavorable” reaction to his firing a secretary who refused to continue baby-sitting his 4-year-old son.

Richard Neely, 43, said he will remain on the court but give up the role of chief justice. The position is rotated among the five justices and carries no extra salary.

Neely, 43, also said he has told Tess Dineen, 59, she can continue working as his secretary and will not be required to baby-sit. Neely fired Dineen earlier last week from her $23,000-a-year post effective Sept. 1 when she refused to babysit his son.

Two officers in the National Organization for Women said Neely should resign from the court, not merely step aside as chief justice.

“It’s a step in the right direction,” said NOW officer Pat White, a Democratic member of the House of Delegates. “The next step should be to resign.”

“He still has an obligation to resign,” said Ann Garcelon, president of the Charleston NOW chapter. “He has disgraced the court, truly hurt the integrity of the court.”

The justice, who was reelected last year to a 12-year term, maintained that he does not think it improper for his staff to perform personal duties, freeing his time for other matters.