If the allegations that Forsyth District Judge Denise Hartsfield fixed traffic tickets and lied to investigators are true, she should be held accountable, some residents said Monday.
But some in the black community said they think Hartsfield, who is black, was targeted by someone and is being railroaded by a criminal-justice system that is unfair to minorities.
The Rev. John Mendez, pastor of Emmanuel Baptist Church and a local community activist who is black, said he thinks Hartsfield was targeted by someone who wanted to get her in trouble. He said it could have been for political reasons, such as thinking she's soft on crime. He said he could not rule out race as a motivation because he sees a national climate that is hostile to black politicians, from the White House to judges.
He said he thinks Hartsfield is no more unethical than other district court judges.
"Other judges may be doing it, but nobody leaked it on them," Mendez said.
