Indictment accuses judge of using public funds to employ his son, travel, buy couch and alcohol

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Indictment accuses decide of utilizing public…

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Indictment accuses decide of utilizing public funds to make use of his son, journey, purchase sofa and alcohol

By Debra Cassens Weiss

February 1, 2024, 9:12 am CST

The presiding decide of the Eleventh Judicial Circuit in Lauderdale County, Alabama, has been charged with mendacity to a grand jury and utilizing public funds for private purchases and his son’s employment.

Decide Gilbert P. Self, 61, of Florence, Alabama, has been indicted on 18 counts, 16 of them for alleged use of his workplace for private achieve or the achieve of members of the family, based on a Jan. 29 press launch by Alabama’s lawyer normal. The opposite two counts allege perjury and a false assertion to public auditors.

Self is accused of spending public cash for a sofa; alcoholic drinks; eyeglasses and holidays, together with snowboarding, biking and seaside journeys. He’s additionally accused of utilizing public cash for occasions that he didn’t attend in Reno, Nevada; Duck Key, Florida; and Mackinac Island, Michigan.

AL.com, Legislation & Crime, WHNT and WSFA are among the many publications with protection.

WHNT had specifics on alleged purchases from the indictment. They included a double reclining console couch, grab-and-go beers, a chocolate martini and framing for his son’s diploma.

The indictment stemmed from a state audit that questioned a number of funds made out of two court-fee funded accounts overseen by Self. The Alabama Each day Information coated the audit findings in October 2023. The audit stated Self had employed his son as a legislation clerk.

Self advised the Alabama Each day Information that his son was making use of to legislation faculties after graduating in December 2019, and he employed his son for $10 per hour in what he thought can be short-term employment.

“I assumed he’d be right here a number of months after which go on to legislation college; then the pandemic hit,” Self stated.

He added that his son helped maintain the workplace operating in the course of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Self’s attorneys advised WHNT that he voluntarily repaid all of the funds spent “on these trustworthy and correctable errors.”

Self additionally launched an announcement to WHNT. It reads, “From the primary time the auditors introduced these points to my consideration, I’ve acknowledged trustworthy however correctable errors have been made within the two financial institution accounts I administered as presiding decide. These errors occurred over a time frame, when our courtroom system was below immense strain because of the pandemic and being understaffed and overloaded. At no time did I intend to violate any legislation. Lauderdale County just isn’t out any cash, and the entire cash in query is in these accounts.

“Nothing can change the errors I made and my embarrassment and remorse are painful realities. Fortunately, my spouse, sons, household, associates and church have been steadfast of their help. I stay up for having the residents of our neighborhood overview what occurred and take into account the unprecedented circumstances surrounding many of those occasions.”