When you’re presiding over a case in the name of justice, things can certainly get complicated when you have to defend your own rights. Such is the case with Montgomery County Circuit Judge Greg Griffin, who previously took to Facebook to claim that he was racially profiled by police.

According to the Times Union, the Facebook post has resulted in the Alabama Supreme Court placing a temporary pause on a murder trial, in which a white police officer is being accused of killing a black man. Based on Griffin’s accusation that a police officer stopped him because he was black, the defense team has requested that he be removed as the judge in this case. Griffin had initially refused to step down on his own accord.

The case involves Montgomery police officer, Aaron Smith, who faces murder charges in the 2016 shooting of 58-year-old Greg Gunn. Gunn had been walking home late at night from a card game and was shot near his home, where he lived with his mother. Per the defense team, the Officer Smith approached Gunn due to suspicions and alleged that Gunn swung something at him, resulting in a fight.

Griffin had posted the social media complaint prior to being assigned to the case. In the post, Griffin said, “It was aggravating to be detained when the only thing I was guilty of was being a black man walking down the street in his neighborhood with a stick in his hand."

A temporary stay has been issued on all proceedings in this case as it takes these matters into consideration. The case is scheduled to go to trial in October.

Judge Greg Griffin

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