JONESBORO, Ark. — The Second Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney has voiced her concerns about Doug Brimhall being sworn in as Circuit Judge following the criminal case against him that was pleaded down to a misdemeanor last month
In a letter dated October 4, obtained through a Freedom of Information Act request, Prosecutor Sonia F. Hagood said she has no confidence that Brimhall can provide the judicial district with even the appearance of being a fair and impartial judge.
Given Mr. Brimhall’s criminal conduct and his actions since May 3, 2024, I have no confidence he can provide the citizens of this judicial district even the appearance of a fair and impartial judge.
– Prosecutor Sonia F. Hagood
The two-page letter is the first document revealing more about the prosecutor’s thoughts on the arrest of Brimhall. At the time of the incident he was investigated for, May 3, Brimhall was a deputy prosecuting attorney under Hagood. In her letter, Hagood wrote it was to her great relief that Brimhall resigned from her office almost immediately.
Brimhall resolved his pending felony charges on Sept. 19 with a misdemeanor plea deal, according to a release from his legal team. He received a 12-month suspended imposition of sentence, fines, fees, anger management classes, and community service.
However, Brimhall has insisted on his plans to become a Circuit Judge. In a press release issued on the same day Brimhall pleaded to a misdemeanor charge, his attorney Bill Stanley wrote that Brimhall “looks forward to taking the bench and fulfilling his obligations and responsibilities that this community elected him to fulfill.”
The prosecutor’s October 4 letter responded directly to that, stating that she felt a “profound responsibility to advocate for the victims we represent and uphold the integrity of the judicial system.”
“The victims we serve, as well as the defendants we prosecute, deserve a fair and impartial judiciary,” Hagood said in her letter to Judge Pam Honeycutt, the administrative judge for the Second Judicial District. “Mr. Brimhall’s conduct raises significant concerns regarding his ability to fulfill these expectations. I presume there are complaints filed with the Judicial Discipline and Disability Committee (JDDC), as well as with the Office of Professional Conduct. However, we currently lack clarity on any potential disciplinary actions or restrictions he may face.”
The JDDC has confirmed it is investigating at least one complaint against Brimhall related to his arrest. Hagood’s letter is cc’d to the executive director of JDDC, Emily Abbott, among others.
“If the Court intends to revisit the judicial plan, we respectfully request that Mr. Brimhall be excluded from presiding over any cases involving the 2nd Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s Office,” Hagood said. “The 2nd Judicial District Prosecuting Attorney’s office intends to file a motion to recuse in all cases that may come before Mr. Brimhall.”
Hagood’s letter said in her opinion, staying silent on the issue is being complicit in his conduct. She asks the court to consider the impact of Brimhall’s actions on the entire district.
Read the full letter obtained by NEA Report through FOIA here.
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We had a judge here that molested young male offenders and took photos of them for lascivious purposes for thirty years and he apparently wasn’t judged unfit to serve by any authority.
Well he should have been. Not only that but should have been imprisoned. This is what I am saying about the immoral state of, not just this country, but of the world. If you have enough money you can do and say anything you wish without consequences. It has gone on so long that good Christian people will defend it. It’s too sad to be true. But unfortunately, it is true.
Doug Brimhall is a decent person. You have no idea what he was putting up with and how out of control his child was. If any of you knew a fraction of what he was putting up with would be sympathizing with him and praising him instead of crucifying him the way the prosecutor’s office is trying to do in the media for political purposes.
He doesn’t deserve all the negative media he’s getting. I wish I could say more, and if you ask, I will. It will be brutal, and will not look well for his daughter. I’m just totally amazed that our Prosecutor is vilifying him in the press when she knows nothing about what happened. Randel Miller
I don’t know him but I am a complete outsider in all this and I have been in a domestic abuse relationship. I do not condone this out of anybody. But we do not know the whole story as we were not in the situation. Only those involved know what happened. I have also seen alot of women cry wolf and have ruined a man’s reputation career had their kids taken away from them and home. Women can be very evil and seems less me they always s have an upper hand. I am a boy mom and a girl mom and it takes 2 to get to this level. I don’t know the story here but if it was a child involved well then that’s what’s wrong with our world. I have seen children lie to get parents in trouble too because they did not get their way or got something taken away from them. Just remember you can hear all kinds of stuff and you can’t believe everything you hear. Only those involved know what happen and it’s been settled. So there is nothing g more to see.
But I feel like him being a judge and this happening to him he can more relate to what could happen in situations with other families. Why would we NOT want him to be judge?? Judges are people too and life happens. He got his day in court just like everyone else so let him go on with his life and his career. No one person is perfect I don’t care who they are.
Any other person who drove home drunk, got into bed with his teenager only wearing his underwear, put water on her head then attacked her and choked her, then attacked his wife’s car and broke the windshield would have been immediately arrested and held with a substantial bail. Then after trial they would have been buried under the jail. It seems like there have been no consequences up to this point for Mr. Brimhall. I am happy to finally see some.
Mr. Miller, are you saying that the signed affidavits were false? And why would he put up with things from the teenager instead of getting her help, if she was indeed troubled before this incident? A drunken blow out seems to have been his solution.