KANSAS CITY (AP) - A Kansas City municipal judge being investigated for accepting loans from lawyers has a gambling addiction, her attorney has confirmed.
Judge Deborah Neal, 54, has been on paid leave since Aug. 16; she remains hospitalized for treatment of depression. She was among the patrons in a Kansas City, Kan., casino that was raided by authorities in April.
Neal’s lawyer, John Kurtz, will not say how long the gambling problem has existed, though Neal filed for bankruptcy four years ago.
He also declined to say how many lawyers loaned the judge money and whether any of them practiced in her courtroom.
Ethics rules forbid judges from accepting loans from lawyers who appear before them.
The judge, who joined the municipal court in 1996, has said none of her rulings was influenced by lawyers who loaned her money.
Regardless, legal experts say lawyers who loaned Neal money could be disciplined by the Missouri State Bar Association. If they received preferential treatment, it could be a federal crime.
Neal, who makes $123,744 a year, filed for bankruptcy four years ago with debts that included $48,000 in federal income taxes.
For the last two years, according to court records, about $1,730 has been deducted from her paycheck every two weeks as part of debt payments.
The Missouri Commission on Retirement, Removal and Discipline of Judges is involved in Neal’s case. It can reprimand her or ask the Missouri Supreme Court to discipline her, including removal from the bench.
Retired Judge Charles DeFeo has been named to replace Neal, at least through Oct. 8.
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