Traffic Court Judge under fire for nude photos
PHILADELPHIA - December 23, 2011
It could not have come at a worse time for the traffic court judge. The State Supreme Court recently ordered a shakeup of the Traffic court surrounding an FBI investigation.
The allegations claim that Judge Willie Singletary, who is already a controversial figure, showed unsolicited photos of his genitals to a female government worker that he was interested in having a physical relationship with.
Sources within Traffic Court and in the 1st Judicial District tell Action News that a woman who works for the Parking Authority assigned to Traffic Court has come forward alleging that Traffic Court Judge Willie Singletary showed her the inappropriate pictures taken on his cell phone.
According to the sources, he asked the woman, "Don't you want a piece of this?"
A female police officer was with the woman when when he allegedly tried to intimidate her into withdrawing the complaint.
Judge Gary Glazer, the newly appointed Administrative Judge of Traffic Court relieved Singletary of his judicial duties Thursday night, and ordered him escorted from the building with directions not to contact anyone at Traffic Court.
Singletary was already under a cloud of controversy since Action News first reported back in 2007 that court records showed him to be notorious for breaking the same laws he was sworn to uphold, and that his own driver's license had been suspended at the time until 2011.
At that time, he also owed $11,000 in traffic fines.
Action News spoke with him back in 2008 when he was sworn in.
When asked how he expected to pass fair judgment on other violators when it appeared he was thumbing his nose at the law, the Singletary refused to respond and walked away.
Singletary had no answer then and has been avoiding the media on Friday.
He was also under fire from the State Judicial Review board for a YouTube video obtained by Action News showing him soliciting funds for his campaign in exchange for his assistance in Traffic Court.
Action News 1st reported in September that the FBI raided the home and office of Administrative Judge Michael Sullivan and others amidst a long list of allegations of ticket fixing for political friends and family.
On Monday, Pennsylvania Chief Supreme Justice Ron Castille booted Sullivan, and replaced him pending a full investigation with Judge Gary Glazer.
In addition to pulling Judge Singletary from the bench, Judge Glazer is also recommending to the State Supreme Court that proceedings begin to have him permanently removed from the bench.
In all, sources say, it has been one big Traffic Court mess, and it is time to clean it up.
