Prosecutor questions elected judge’s fitness for office

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT) – Weeks after pleading guilty to criminal charges, a prosecutor is questioning an elected district judge’s ability to serve the people of northeast Arkansas.

In an Oct. 4 letter to Second Judicial District Administrative Judge Pam Honeycutt, the court’s second prosecutor, Sonia Hagood, expressed concern about Doug Brimhall.

Brimhall was working in Hagood’s office when he was arrested earlier this year on a charge of aggravated assault on a family or household member. In September, he pleaded guilty to a reduced charge of harassment.

He is expected to be sworn in as district judge in early 2025.

In her letter to Honeycutt, Hagood said she has “a great responsibility to advocate for the victims we represent and to uphold the integrity of the justice system.”

The prosecutor said the victims her office serves and those she prosecutes “deserve fair and impartial justice.”

“Brimhall’s conduct raises significant concerns about his ability to meet these expectations,” Hagood said. “I understand that complaints have been filed with the Judicial Discipline and Disability Committee and the Office of Professional Conduct. However, at this time we lack clarity on any potential disciplinary action or restrictions he may face.”

Hagood requested that Brimhall be removed from presiding over all cases involving the Second Judicial District Attorney’s Office, adding that her office plans to file a motion to dismiss all cases pending before Brimhall.

Given his criminal behavior and actions, Hagood said she has no confidence that Brimhall can provide citizens with “even the semblance of a fair and impartial judge.”

“We are a self-regulating profession; Failure to address misconduct undermines the principles of justice we are sworn to uphold,” Hagood said. “In my opinion, the silence on this issue is complicity in his behavior.”

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