Chokwe Lumumba v. The Mississippi Bar
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Serial: 136418
IN THE SUPREME COURT OF MISSISSIPPI
No. 2006-BR-00990-SCT
IN RE: THE PETITION OF CHOKWE LUMUMBA
FOR REINSTATEMENT IN THE MISSISSIPPI BAR
ORDER
¶1.
Chokwe Lumumba was suspended from the practice of law for six months and until
he retook and passed the Ethics portion of the Mississippi Bar Examination, fined $1,000,
and required to pay the Bar’s costs. Miss. Bar v. Lumumba, 912 So. 2d 871, 889 (Miss.
2005), cert. denied, __ U.S. __, 126 S. Ct. 363, 163 L. Ed. 2d 70 (2005).
¶2.
Lumumba now petitions this Court for reinstatement to the Mississippi Bar pursuant
to Rule 12 of the Mississippi Rules of Discipline. In support, Lumumba submits that he has
satisfied all requirements for reinstatement, In re Benson, 890 So. 2d 888, 890 (Miss. 2004),
and the Mississippi Bar agrees.
¶3.
Finding that Chokwe Lumumba has sufficiently demonstrated that he has satisfied the
conditions precedent for reinstatement to the Bar, we grant his Petition and reinstate Chokwe
Lumumba as a member of the Mississippi Bar to the privilege of practicing law in the State
of Mississippi effective upon the entry of this order.
¶4.
SO ORDERED, this the
18th
day of January, 2007.
/s/ James W. Smith, Jr.
JAMES W. SMITH, JR., CHIEF JUSTICE
FOR THE COURT
WALLER AND COBB, P.JJ., DIAZ, CARLSON, GRAVES, DICKINSON AND
RANDOLPH, JJ., CONCUR. EASLEY, J., DISSENTS WITH SEPARATE WRITTEN
STATEMENT.
EASLEY, JUSTICE, SEPARATE WRITTEN STATEMENT:
¶5.
I respectfully object to the reinstatement of Chokwe Lumumba to the Mississippi Bar.
Lumumba publicly insulted Judge Marcus Gordon in open court. Judge Gordon is a longserving circuit judge in Mississippi. He takes his office seriously and is committed to
maintaining fairness and integrity in his court. When Lumumba chose to insult Judge
Gordon, Lumumba insulted both Judge Gordon and the entire Judiciary of the State of
Mississippi.
¶6.
Our courts must have the highest degree of integrity in order for our citizens to have
trust and respect for the court system. The Mississippi judiciary, including Judge Gordon,
always strives to achieve this high goal. Our citizens, including attorneys practicing in the
court system, must be courteous, maintain decorum, and show proper respect for our judges
and the court system.
¶7.
In his affidavit, attached to the petition for reinstatement, and in his deposition,
attached to the Bar’s answer, Lumumba acknowledged that his choice of words were poor.
By not apologizing to Judge Gordon, orally or in writing, Lumumba has not acted in good
faith and has not shown real remorse for his actions. Therefore, I respectfully object to the
reinstatement of Lumumba.
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