Three Limestone County Commissioners have filed a written petition to have Limestone County Judge Daniel Burkeen removed from the bench, citing his DWI arrest in April 2017 as one of many reasons he should be removed from his position.
On Friday afternoon, September 29, 2017, Commissioners John McCarver (Pct. 1), W.A. Sonny Baker (Pct. 2), and Jerry Allen (Pct. 3), filed the petition in the 77th Judicial District Court of Limestone County.
Commissioner Bobby Forrest (Pct. 4) is not a Plaintiff in this case, at this time.
The paperwork included a public petition with more than 400 signatures of Limestone County residents who would like to see him banished from the bench.
Following his arrest in McLennan County, Judge Burkeen did an on-air interview with News Channel 10 out of Waco, where he explained that he had taken an old home remedy for asthma that consisted of whiskey, honey, lemon, and cough syrup.
The official petition states Judge Burkeen as “having brought disgrace to himself, his office, his staff, his family, and the citizens of Limestone County;”and that “he has become the butt of many jokes nationwide once the story of his arrest was broadcast and picked up on the World Wide Web.”
Other incidents cited in this petition include the following:
–Potential conflict of interest when he presides over DWI cases.
–Several occasions where courthouse personnel have witnessed Judge Burkeen speaking with a thick tongue, slurred speech, and sleeping at his desk during business hours.
–Many alleged instances (some caught on video surveillance) of Official Misconduct by inappropriate conduct with multiple females with cases pending in his court.
The petition requests that the court perform discovery and set a date for trial to have Judge Burkeen removed from his elected position.
“The Times” shall keep you up-to-date as more information becomes available.
