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Victims' rights group supports judge accused of bias toward sex offenders

PITTSBURGH — Advocates for sexual assault survivors are rallying around an Allegheny County judge who was scolded for being too tough on sex offenders.

In an unusual move, the Superior Court criticized the judge’s behavior in the courtroom and said she was biased against the defendant.

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Judge Donna Jo McDaniel is a long serving and well respected judge on the Allegheny County Court of Common Pleas.

She’s now facing scrutiny for how she handled the sentencing of convicted sex offender Anthony McCauley.

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McDaniel sentenced McCauley to 20 to 40 years in prison for the rape and sexual assault of a girl younger than 13.

The state Superior Court criticized her, saying “...there is substantial evidence that the trial court judge demonstrated bias ... and conducted an inadequate resentencing hearing...”

"As an advocate for victims, I’m never going to be sad about any kind of harsh treatment for sex offenders," said Alison Hall, the executive director of Pittsburgh Action Against Rape.

She says McDaniel has been questioned in the past for her sentencing of sex offenders but thinks McDaniel does an excellent job.

"We as a society want and expect individuals to be held accountable for their actions and I’m not going to be sorry about (a) sentence for a sex offender who has abused a child or raped a woman or abused a male," Hall said.

In the ruling, the Superior Court criticized McDaniel’s behavior on the bench, saying her sarcasm in this case was disrespectful and that McDaniel displayed hostility toward McCauley and his defense attorney.

McDaniel has been removed from McCauley’s case. Her staff told Channel 11 today that she had no comment on the Superior Court’s ruling.

Judge Jeffrey Manning is now in charge of reassigning the case.

 

Cox Media Group

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