Shirley Leung, Boston Globe business columnist, said the attorney held in contempt of court this week when defending a counter-protester of the "Straight Pride Parade" was punished for "acting like a man.
That was the argument in her latest column, and she joined Boston Public Radio Friday to discuss the incident, in which municipal Judge Richard Sinnott held Susan Church in contempt of court and had her taken into custody while she was arguing on behalf of a client.
Church read case law to Sinnott, suggesting the judge exceeded his authority when he r efused to accept prosecutors' request to not prosecute or dismiss the charges against activists who were arrested at that event.
In explaining why he held her in contempt, Sinnott said from the bench, “Ms. Church was filled with passion in representing her client and kept talking over me.”
"I thought it was gender bias. Not everyone thought that. Maybe it was the judge exerting his power, but I can't imagine him doing this to a man," said Leung. "Just the language he used ... I think he said, 'Do you understand me ma'am?' Not 'counselor,' 'ma'am.'"
