MINNEAPOLIS (WCCO) — A Minnesota judge who demanded more security in some suburban courtrooms has been reassigned, according to Hennepin County.
Nancy Peters, with Hennepin County Public Affairs, confirmed that Judge Lloyd Zimmerman was reassigned to Family Court. She didn’t know if this was a permanent or temporary reassignment.
“I was told today by the chief judge that my civil caseload was being taken from me, and that he was planning to reassign me to family court,” said Zimmerman in an email. “Both are plain acts of retaliation in my judgment for asking for a safe courtroom.”
Just weeks after a shooting incident in St. Louis County courthouse, Zimmerman said he wouldn’t hear cases at the Brookdale, Southdale or Ridgedale courthouses until they get security screening.
In an email, Zimmerman told colleagues, “I’m tired of driving to Brookdale, the courtroom everyone who knows agrees is the most likely place for a shooting or violence to occur, and not know whether I will be carried out in a body bag that day.”
Screening costs money, so a 16-week study is being considered to assess needs. The consultants might recommend metal detectors at all courthouses, or even moving all domestic cases, which are the most volatile, to the Government Center downtown.
The study would cost $77,000. If it goes forward, they wouldn’t have long-term recommendations until mid-summer.
Family Court is held at the Family Justice Center and all people undergo weapons screening when entering the courthouse.
