U.S. District Court Judge John Adams has been removed from a case for the second time in less than a year, this time at the request of a criminal defendant who claims he used opiates with two of the judge’s relatives for an extended period.
The 6th Circuit Court of Appeals recently granted a request from Eric R. Ramey, who had a counterfeit case pending before Adams, to remove the Akron federal court judge. The court gave no explanation for its decision.
The Cincinnati-based appellate court removed Adams last September from the city of Akron’s long-pending firefighter promotions lawsuit, a step requested by attorneys for both the firefighters and the city.
As with the fire-promotions litigation, Adams opposed his removal from the Ramey case, saying it was without merit and questioning the truth of Ramey’s claims.
The U.S. Attorney’s Office objected to Adams’ removal from the pending counterfeit case, agreeing that Ramey’s request wasn’t warranted.
Ramey, 30, of Orrville, is charged with passing and creating counterfeit bills, crimes that were the result of the opiate addiction for which he is now being treated, according to his attorney.
“Eric is doing very well in his recovery and I am proud of his progress, but he faces a difficult battle,” Carlos Warner, Ramey’s federal public defender, said in an email Thursday. “Fighting opioid addiction is a life-and-death struggle ... I know Eric is working very hard to stay sober and put the past in the past.”
After Adams refused to recuse himself from Ramey’s case, Ramey took the request last November to the 6th Circuit Court of Appeals.
Ramey pointed in his petition to his relationship with two of the judge’s relatives. Ramey said he and the two men used opiates together for 14 months, which he called “a clear conflict requiring recusal.”
The Beacon Journal is not identifying the men because they are not facing any criminal drug charges.
In a response filed with the appellate court, Adams said he was unaware of the relationship between Ramey and his relatives and questioned the accuracy of Ramey’s claims, noting that they had evolved over time.
He said Ramey could enter his plea to a neutral judicial officer. If that were to happen, the only task left to Adams would be sentencing. He pointed out that Ramey could appeal if he thought the sentence was unfair.
“Mr. Ramey was not concerned about any potential conflict, but was far more concerned that he would receive a harsh sentence,” Adams wrote.
Adams also raised concerns about potential, broader consequences of his removal from the case, saying Ramey was seeking to require judges to recuse themselves “for a far broader range of relationships than ever contemplated by the existing statutory framework.”
The appellate court issued a two-page decision this week that focused mostly on Ramey’s request that the petitions and exhibits in his case be sealed, which the court denied. On the removal of Adams, the court simply said this step “was warranted.”
Adams declined comment Thursday through his law clerk.
U.S. District Judge Sara Lioi, the same judge who took over the fire promotions lawsuit, has been assigned Ramey’s case. He is scheduled to enter a guilty plea at 10:45 a.m. Tuesday.
Three months after Lioi took over the Akron fire promotions lawsuit, the two sides reached an agreement. The issue of attorney’s fees, however, is still being disputed.
Stephanie Warsmith can be reached at 330-996-3705 or swarsmith@thebeaconjournal.com. Follow on Twitter: @swarsmithabj and on Facebook: www.facebook.com/swarsmith.