Bribery isn't a common practice in the United States, unlike other countries across the globe. Which is why this story of a judge's attempt seems very interesting, not to mention odd.
A North Carolina judge has recently been charged with attempting to bribe an FBI agent with "a couple of cases of beer" in exchange for some transcripts of a text message conversation.
Upon hearing that, you'd first think that he was maybe asking for the transcripts for a case. But no, it was a conversation between two of his own family members. Munchies reports:
"Superior Court Judge Arnold Ogden Jones II is the senior resident Superior Court judge for a North Carolina district spanning three counties. He's currently standing trial after allegedly texting an unnamed FBI agent and trying to get the agent to send him a copy of a text conversation that occurred between two numbers. The judge is accused of texting the agent and stating that the conversation was 'just for [him]' and 'involve[d] family members.' In other words, the judge wanted to spy on his own family for reasons that have not yet come to light.
"Nine days later, the FBI agent responded to the text. The agent told Judge Jones that there was 'insufficient probable cause' to legally obtain the records - probably because the judge had made no allegation of any illegality. Still, the agent told the judge, he would continue to try to obtain the text messages if the judge liked. The judged replied in the affirmative, saying: 'I want [it on the] down low - see what you can do without drawing attention ... This involves family so I don't want anybody to know.'"
According to the indictment, Judge Jones had met up with the FBI agent in a parked car just a week after the text exchanges to talk about the agent's compensation.
Turns out, Judge Jones seemed that a few cases of beer would be a good way to pay the agent for his services.
Not only that, but the judge also insisted that the agreement would not be a favor, stating that he understood the time and effort necessary for the task.
The following Monday, the agent finally informed the judge that the transcript had been requested on a disk. The judge claimed that the disk would be destroyed so that they could not be traced back to the agent, adding that his "paycheck" was ready.
At this point in time, the indictment states that the judge and the FBI agent agreed to $100 compensation, instead of the cases of beer. Judge Jones case is set for trial in a North Carolina federal court.
