MADISON COUNTY, Miss. – The Madison County Justice Court judge being investigated for the racial abuse of African Americans in two separate incidents has voluntarily recused himself from the bench.
A justice court clerk confirmed this week that Judge Bill Weisenberger recused himself a couple of months ago and three other judges are covering his case load.
Weisenberger is accused of hitting a mentally challenged black man and yelling a racial slur at him at the Canton Flea Market on May 8. Weisenberger was working security at the time. The State Attorney General’s office is investigating the matter.
The AG’s office is also investigating a separate incident that occurred two weeks later, in which Weisenberger allegedly imposed an illegal sentence against an African American arrested for DUI. According to documents, on May 22 Weisenberger heard cases involving three people, two whites and one black, arrested on first-offense DUIs. The two white defendants were given suspended sentences for two days of jail time; and the African American was given a five day jail sentence. State law only allows a two-day sentence.
