Arkansas' attorney general is asking the state Supreme Court to reassign cases involving her office from a judge who has been prohibited from handling execution cases, accusing him of regularly being biased against her staff.
Attorney General Leslie Rutledge on Tuesday requested that the court reassign the civil cases from Pulaski County Circuit Judge Wendell Griffen. He was prohibited from handling execution cases in 2017 after he participated in an anti-death penalty demonstration the same day he blocked Arkansas from using a lethal injection drug.
Rutledge accused Griffen of regularly yelling at attorneys from her office when they appear in his court. An attorney for Griffen says the judge denies any claim of bias and stands on his court record.
Rutledge made the request in a case regarding an unsuccessful applicant for a medical marijuana cultivation license.
