Michigan Supreme Court Hands Down 6-Year Suspension Against 'Shirtless Judge'

A Wayne County Circuit judge who once called himself “the king of latex,” whose critics called him the “shirtless judge” and who carried on an extramarital affair with a woman who had a case before him has been suspended for six years, the Michigan Supreme Court ruled Wednesday.

The action means that even if Judge Wade McCree wins re-election this fall, he will be unable to hold a judgeship until at least Jan. 1, 2021, MLive/Detroit reports. The 57-year-old judge, who has been suspended without pay since Feb. 3, 2013, also must pay nearly $12,000, according to the ruling, which closely mirrors the recommendation of the Judicial Tenure Commission, which heard complaints against McCree.

“We agree with the JTC that (the) respondent’s misconduct was prejudicial to the actual administration of justice,” the court said.

“Indeed, there is not much, if anything, that is more prejudicial to the actual administration of justice than having a sexual relationship with a complaining witness without recusing oneself, engaging in ex parte communications with this mistress/complaining witness, attempting to use the prosecutor’s office as leverage against this now ex-mistress by concocting charges of stalking and extortion against her, and then lying under oath about these matters.”

McCree’s attorney, Brian Einhorn, said he was “very unhappy” about the Court’s decision and said the six-year suspension was unusual and harsh. He also said he was disappointed that the news media received a copy of the order before he and McCree did, and that it put he and his client at “a disadvantage in terms of being able to comment,” the Detroit Free Press said.

The JTC proceedings against McCree were filled with sexual innuendo, salacious text messages and other evidence relating to an affair he had with a woman who was a witness in a child-support case before him in 2010. McCree admitted to the witness, Geniene LaShay Mott, that he knew their affair put him in a position of conflict.

In 2010, WJBK-TV (Channel 2) reporter Charlie LeDuff confronted McCree about a shirtless "selife" to a sheriff’s office employee. “There’s no shame in my game,” McCree said when questioned about the photo.

Jackson County Circuit Court Judge Charles Nelson, who was appointed a special master to investigate McCree’s conduct,  referenced the statement in his 2013 ruling:

“There is shame in the McCree game: shame to the good name of McCree and shame brought upon the judiciary of the State of Michigan.”