Judge is investigated after he reportedly testifies in divorce deposition about burying $100K in his backyard
Judge Kelvin Jones. Photo from the Tennessee Administrative Office of the Courts.
A Nashville, Tennessee, circuit judge’s divorce records must be turned over to the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation amid an investigation into his deposition testimony, a special judge has ruled.
In the June 2020 deposition, Judge Kelvin Jones allegedly testified that he buried about $100,000 in his backyard to conceal it from the state and creditors, report the Tennessean and WTVF.
He also allegedly admitted obtaining his wife’s emails and impersonating a man he thought was having an affair with his wife to get his itemized hotel bill, the articles report.
Jones’ wife alleged that some of the emails obtained by her husband were communications with her attorney.
The deposition is sealed, but the Tennessean obtained a copy before the sealing order.
A special prosecutor appointed to investigate the divorce statements asked the Tennessee Bureau of Investigation to help investigate. The special prosecutor was appointed after Nashville lawyer Brian Manookian complained about Jones to the Tennessee Board of Judicial Conduct and to the Nashville district attorney.
Manookian has filed complaints against several judges, according to the Tennessean. He also alleged that a disciplinary counsel’s tweets showed him to be a “proud anti-Muslim bigot.” The disciplinary counsel, who worked for the Tennessee Supreme Court’s Board of Professional Responsibility, claims that he was wrongly fired after the tweets were publicized.
Story updated April 23 at 4:30 p.m. to add information about the disciplinary counsel to the last paragraph.
