Judge Carlos E. Moore has been suspended without pay, fined, and will face a public reprimand following an incident that occurred on Dec. 8, 2020, in Grenada Municipal Court, which was described by the Mississippi Supreme Court as “willful misconduct”. Judge Moore had criticized Grenada Police Department Chief George Douglas and Det. Sgt. Chris Brown publicly during open court concerning a private client of Moore’s that had visited his private law office four days earlier. The private client was a victim of a shooting at the Satan’s Sidekick Clubhouse in Grenada in November 2020.

The Mississippi Commission of Judicial Performance filed a formal complaint against Judge Moore alleging that he improperly summoned two local police officers to the municipal courtroom in Grenada and criticized them publicly. Both Judge Moore and the Commission agreed to the recommended sanctions of a public reprimand and a fine of $1,500, but the Court disagreed.

In its decision, the Court stated that “because Judge Moore abused the power of his office to chastise and embarrass police officers in open court concerning a matter related to the judge’s private law practice, we order a 60-day suspension from judicial office without pay in addition to the recommended sanctions.”

Judge Moore declined to comment on the matter, and Chief Douglas and Detective Sgt. Brown also had no comment. The public reprimand will be read in open court by the presiding judge of the Grenada County Circuit Court and Coahoma County Circuit Court, and Judge Moore will stand within the well of the court while the reprimand is read aloud in the hearing of all in attendance.