Court finds that judge acted inappropriately after being criticized in late gun-rights advocate’s speech
Tim Kenneally | March 2, 2017 @ 11:30 AM
Last Updated: March 2, 2017 @ 12:55 PM
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Charlton Heston may be long gone, but he has just helped pry a murder conviction from a deceased Philadelphia judge’s cold hands.
A speech that the late “Planet of the Apes” star gave during a National Rifle Association event in 1998 has indirectly led to the overturning of a murder conviction, the Associated Press reported Thursday.
In an opinion handed down last week, the Third U.S. Circuit Court found that Judge Lisa Richette had acted inappropriately after a murder victim’s family criticized her in part by using Heston’s speech.
In a blog during the 1998 trial, the family of victim Mark Gibson quoted Heston as calling Judge Richette soft on crime and referring to her as “Let ‘em Loose Lisa.”
Richette subsequently called the family into her chambers, along with the prosecutor and defense lawyer — but not defendant Paul McKernan — to assure them that she would handle the case fairly.
The judge ultimately found McKernan, who had claimed self-defense, guilty of first-degree murder.
In appeals filed since then, McKernan contended that the judge went out of her way to make the victim’s family happy. Last week’s opinion from the court determined that Richette’s conversation with the family was inappropriate, and that McKernan’s defense attorney was ineffective.
“Judge Richette’s actions would have caused any competent attorney to seek recusal immediately,” the opinion said.
Richette died in 2007, while Heston died from pneumonia in 2008 at age 84.
McKernan’s case remains under review with the Philadelphia District Attorney’s office, which must determine whether it will retry him.
In the meantime, McKernan’s current attorney, Maria Pulzetti, said that his client is “relieved” by the development.
“Our client is relieved that that the court after nearly 20 years recognizes that he did not receive a fair trial,” Pulzetti said.
Pamela Chelin contributed to this report.
11 Hollywood Stars in the NRA: From Chuck Norris to James Earl Jones (Photos)
The National Rifle Association has stood up for gun owners for years, but come under heavy criticism for opposing gun control after mass shootings from San Bernardino to Orlando. Some celebrity members of the group have stood by it, while others have distanced themselves from certain stances.
Arguably the most famous Hollywood star associated with the NRA was Charlton Heston, who served as its president from 1998 to 2003 before stepping down after an Alzheimers diagnosis. (He died in April 2008.)
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Rock musician Ted Nugent is one of the NRA's most outspoken members. In January 2015, on the organization's radio show, he called NRA opponents "subhuman mongrels" and "some kind of inbred Martian."
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NBA Hall of Famer Karl Malone is an avid hunter and has served on the NRA Board. But he angered some gun owners when he spoke to Sports Illustrated about those who buy guns for their protection: "The big picture is that guns won't protect you. If someone really wanted to get you, they would."
"Walker, Texas Ranger" star Chuck Norris has a long history as an avid NRA spokesperson, creating videos supporting the Second Amendment and NRA initiatives including the "Trigger The Vote" campaign.
Actor Tom Selleck got into a heated debate with Rosie O'Donnell in 1999 when she questioned him about being a member of the NRA. In 2013, shortly after the Sandy Hook school shootings, MSNBC pundit Lawrence O'Donnell said that it was time to "question Selleck's humanity" after the actor's silence on the matter.
In 2014, an online petition circulated demanding the Glastonbury music festival remove Metallica from the schedule because its frontman, James Hetfield, is an NRA member with a history of hunting. Hetfield narrated the History Channel series "The Hunt," about a trek to Kodiak, Alaska, to kill brown bears. When it comes to gun control, however, Hetfield said in 2013: "I don’t want to make it easier for someone to have an assault weapon, but I also want to be able to protect my family."
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In 2012, Whoopi Goldberg revealed on "The View" that she is a member of the NRA during an interview with libertarian writer and TV pundit John Stossel. "I don’t mind having to register and let them know that I have them," Goldberg said. "I want to know that there’s at least some way to prevent folks who are just getting out from mental institutions [from getting guns].”
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James Earl Jones wrote about being a NRA member in his 1993 self-titled autobiography: "I just throw the political mail from the NRA into the trash ... When it comes to the right-wing politics of the NRA, I don’t get into that. I just believe in my right to have a gun in my house.”
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After the Sandy Hook school shootings in December 2012, West Coast Choppers founder Jesse James wrote a Facebook post supporting the NRA and objecting to gun control laws in some states. "People that should not have guns will still find a way to get them. Please join the NRA now," he wrote.
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Country singer Miranda Lambert is a lifetime NRA member and an outspoken gun rights advocate. At the 2016 American Country Music awards, she showed up on the red carpet sporting pink stilettos with a tiny gun and holster strapped to the front.
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In a 2002 interview with The Guardian, director Michael Moore talked about how he got a NRA lifetime membership as part of a stunt for his documentary, "Bowling For Columbine." He mentioned he had planned to run against Charlton Heston for the group's presidency, but gave up on the plan. The NRA president is voted on by board members, rather than the entire organization.
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Some famous members are strongly against gun control, while others have distanced themselves from the group’s most extreme stances
The National Rifle Association has stood up for gun owners for years, but come under heavy criticism for opposing gun control after mass shootings from San Bernardino to Orlando. Some celebrity members of the group have stood by it, while others have distanced themselves from certain stances.