Oklahoma judge caught scrolling through social media during murder trial

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An Oklahoma judge is being investigated by a state ethics panel after she was caught on video scrolling through social media and texting during a murder trial, according to video obtained by a local news outlet.

Lincoln County District Judge Traci Soderstrom was presiding over her first trial for a man accused of fatally beating a 2-year-old when she was captured on surveillance footage checking her Facebook page and searching for a GIF, The Oklahoman reported.

During the seven-day trial in Chandler, about 45 miles northeast of Oklahoma City, the jurist can be seen on the footage using her phone for minutes at a time.

A ceiling-mounted security camera captured Soderstrom tapping away as she held the phone in her lap throughout jury selection, opening statements and witness testimony, the outlet reported.

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In this still image from security camera video, Lincoln County District Judge Traci Soderstrom looks at her cellphone during a murder trial June 12, 2023, at the Lincoln County District Court in Chandler, Oklahoma. (The Oklahoman via AP/Facebook)

Soderstrom, who was elected in November, instructed jurors to turn off all their electronic devices so "they could concentrate on all the evidence" but didn't adopt the same protocol.

Khristian Tyler Martzall, 32, was accused of fatally beating his girlfriend's toddler, Braxton Danker. 

As the child's mother, Judith Danker, tearfully testified, Soderstrom was allegedly staring at her cellphone screen. Danker was also charged with murder but took a plea deal. 

Khristian Tyler Martzall, 32, was convicted of fatally beating his girlfriend's toddler, Braxton Danker, center. The child's mother, Judith Danker, was also charged but took a plea deal. (Facebook/Lincoln County Jail)

Prosecutors asked jurors to find Martzall guilty of first-degree murder, but he was ultimately convicted of second-degree manslaughter after a seven-day trial, according to the report. 

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It's unclear how the Oklahoman obtained the footage, but it was provided by the sheriff's office to the Oklahoma Council on Judicial Complaints as part of its investigation.

District Attorney Adam Panter said he reviewed the video and found that the judge had "spent hours of the trial" on her cellphone. 

Lincoln District Judge Traci Soderstrom is under investigation after allegedly texting and scrolling through social media during her first murder trial. (Facebook)

"It is both shocking and disappointing," he told the local newspaper. "Jurors are banned from using cellphones in the courtroom during trials because we expect them to give their full time and attention to the evidence being presented. I would expect and hope the court would hold itself to the same standard."

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The court's administrative director said judges must abide by the Code of Judicial Conduct, which doesn't specifically mention cellphones. 

It does instruct jurists to "act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence."

The Associated Press contributed to this report.