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Disciplinary charges filed against 3 judges in May shooting

Disciplinary charges filed against three Indiana judges

News 8 at 6 p.m.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) – Disciplinary charges have been filed by the Indiana Commission on Judicial Qualifications against three Indiana judges stemming from a May 1 shooting in downtown Indianapolis.

Judge Andrew Adams faces three counts of misconduct. Judge Sabrina Bell faces two counts of misconduct and Judge Brad Jacobs faces two counts of misconduct.

Clark County judges Adams and Jacobs and Crawford Circuit Judge Sabrina Bell were visiting Indianapolis for a conference.

Adams and Jacobs were shot just before 3:30 a.m. May 1 after an altercation near the parking lot of a downtown White Castle at 55 W. South St. Jacobs and Adams were shot when words were exchanged between the judges and two other men.

Charges were filed against two other men in the altercation, Brandon Kaiser and Alfredo Vazquez, both from Indianapolis. Vazquez has been offered the same plea deal Adams received, according to the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office.

According to court documents filed Oct. 10, Vazquez pleaded guilty to battery and will be on probation for 353 days following a 180-day service of home detention for an unrelated conviction.

All three men initially faced charges of battery and battery resulting in bodily injury.

According to documents from the Indiana Supreme Court, as Kaiser and Vazquez drove by, they yelled something at the three judges. Bell responded by giving an obscene gesture.

Soon after, a heated, verbal altercation broke out and then a physical fight broke out before Adams and Jacobs were shot. Kaiser and Vazquez got back into their SUV and drove away from the scene before police arrived.

Surveillance video at the restaurant captured the shooting.

The Indiana Supreme Court has the final say on the disciplinary charges against the judges. They could suspend the charges, fine the judge or impose a permanent ban, keeping them from holding judicial office in the state of Indiana.

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