A Kentucky judge was removed from the bench after being accused of coercion, threesomes, and drinking in the courthouse.
Kenton County Family Court Judge Dawn Gentry was unanimously found guilty on 10 of 12 charges by the Kentucky Judicial Conduct Commission.
Gentry had been suspended in December after the accusations against her surfaced. The Kentucky legislature planned on impeaching Gentry, but coronavirus restrictions prevented its investigation from going forward, prompting the misconduct commission to take over the case.
“This case does not involve one or two isolated occurrences, but instead involves a pattern of misconduct and repeated exercise of extremely poor judgment — on and off the Bench — by the Respondent that continued for over a year, including after Respondent was informed that a complaint was filed with the Commission against her,” the commission wrote in its decision.
The commission found that Gentry had coerced state-funded attorneys to donate and support her reelection campaign or risk being forced out of their jobs. Gentry sent an email to several state-funded attorneys reminding them that they had “volunteered and or have been voluntold” to help her campaign.
Katherine Schulz, a state-funded attorney, said she had to resign from her position after suffering Gentry’s “wrath” after declining her sexual advances. The commission found evidence of Schulz’s allegations, including a complaint Gentry filed against Schulz around the time of the allegations.
The inappropriate advances mentioned by Schulz were not the only accusations of sexual misconduct of which the commission found evidence. The commission determined that Gentry had fired a longtime courthouse employee to make a position for her bandmate and alleged lover, Stephen Penrose. Other courthouse employees heard “sexual noises” stemming from Penrose’s office while he was in with Gentry and Gentry’s secretary, Laura Aubrey. Aubrey maintained that the noises were a prank.
Gentry was also accused of allowing Penrose to drink and play guitar while on the clock.
Gentry originally denied having a romantic relationship with Penrose, but her ex-husband sent the commission an online file that had messages Gentry had saved.
The commission determined that there was evidence of coercion and retaliation of courthouse employees on Gentry’s behalf, but they could not find enough evidence to determine whether Gentry drank or had sexual relationships in the courthouse.
Gentry, who was appointed by former Republican Gov. Matt Bevin before winning her judgeship in an election, said she will appeal the misconduct commission’s ruling and try to return to the bench.
