Judge Removed from Bench After Overturning Man’s Rape Conviction for Assault of Teen Girl
An Illinois judge who overturned a man’s sexual assault conviction for raping a sleeping 16-year-old girl has been removed from the bench by the Illinois Courts Commission following a complaint against him.
Adams County Judge Robert Adrian was found guilty of engaging in multiple instances of misconduct and abusing his position of power to indulge his own sense of justice while circumventing the law.
The state Judicial Inquiry Board filed a complaint against Adrian after he threw out the conviction of Drew Clinton, who was found guilty of sexually assaulting Cameron Vaughan during a graduation party.
Clinton, who claimed the encounter was consensual, was sentenced to time served by Adrian, who stated that sending him to prison would not be just.
However, the decision to overturn the conviction faced backlash, with Cameron Vaughan, now 18, speaking out against it.
The commission’s decision to remove Adrian from the bench was based on ample grounds, including his failure to impose the mandatory sentence against Clinton and his dishonesty regarding the reasons for reversing the conviction.
Adrian’s removal from the bench marks a significant development in ensuring justice for victims of sexual assault and upholding the integrity of the judicial system.
