Lawmaker Wants Appellate Judge Impeached

AUSTIN, Texas (AP) _ A Texas legislator is trying to impeach a high-court judge in a dispute over a 2007 execution.

State Representative Lon Burnam today filed a resolution seeking to start the process against Texas Court of Criminal Appeals Judge Sharon Keller for what he calls “neglect of duty.”

Keller refused to keep the court offices open after 5 p.m. on September 25, 2007, when attorneys for Michael Richard said they had computer problems, causing troubles filing late appeals.

Richard was executed that night for the 1986 rape and murder of a Houston-area woman — Marguerite Lucille Dixon.

If the Texas House finds grounds for impeachment, it would be up to the Senate to conduct an impeachment trial.

Burnam is a Fort Worth Democrat. Keller is a Republican who has served on the court since 1994 and her relentless tough-on-crime approach earned her the nickname “Killer Keller.”

She didn’t immediately return a message. Most state offices were closed for Presidents Day. Keller’s home phone number is unlisted.

More News