Judge Counters Lack of Compassion Charges

A Central Municipal Court judge accused of improperly jailing a woman for trying to talk to a prisoner in court was never told the woman wanted to tell her boyfriend that she had suffered a miscarriage, according to court documents filed in the jurist’s defense.

Judge Gregory H. Lewis was criticized last month by a defense attorney after he held Traci Lynn Pixler in contempt and sentenced her to three days in jail for disobeying orders not to talk to prisoners in the holding cell of his courtroom.

Pixler, 24, of Garden Grove, and her lawyer, Deputy Public Defender Allyn Jaffrey, claimed that Lewis lacked compassion because Pixler was only trying to tell her boyfriend that she had lost their baby when the disruption occurred on Feb. 9.

According to a declaration signed by Lewis and filed in court Monday, Pixler never told the judge the nature of her attempts to speak to her boyfriend, who was in custody on a misdemeanor charge.

When given the opportunity to explain her behavior, Pixler only apologized “in a considerably less than contrite manner. . . . I did not believe her apology to be either reasonable or sincere,” Lewis’ declaration states.

The judge’s response was filed to counter an attempt by Jaffrey to overturn Pixler’s contempt citation. The matter has been set for a hearing on March 12.

Both sides agree that a courtroom bailiff warned Pixler repeatedly not to talk to prisoners awaiting their hearings. When she persisted, Pixler was ordered out of the courtroom, but continued motioning to her boyfriend through a courtroom window.

Although sentenced to three days in jail for contempt, Jaffrey managed to get Pixler released from custody the next morning.

Deputy County Counsel Nicholas S. Chrisos , who is representing Judge Lewis, said the real issue in the case is Pixler’s behavior, not the nature of her discussion with Lewis. Chrisos also said the judge acted properly.

Pixler “has attempted to make the issue in this case her alleged miscarriage. This is irrelevant. The court recalls no explanation other than ‘I’m sorry’ being offered,” Chrisos wrote in Lewis’ response.

Neither Pixler nor Jaffrey, who was on vacation Tuesday, could be reached for comment.