Washoe District Judge Charles McGee has issued a final order dismissing the criminal charges against Ty Robben.
But McGee refused the Public Defender’s argument that, once the criminal conviction is overturned, the court should also quash the contempt finding in the case.
Robben was, at one point, facing charges including soliciting for the murder of Carson Justice of the Peace John Tatro. When McGee dismissed those charges, however, he did not erase the contempt from the record.
During prosecution of the charges, Robben failed to show up for a hearing.
“Here, the contempt finding was entered by an obviously frustrated judge who wanted to put some teeth in the prior order mandating Robben’s appearance at an important stage of the proceeding.”
McGee rejected the Public Defender’s argument saying that a contempt action and a criminal action “can stand on their own footings.” Just because the criminal action goes away, he said, doesn’t mean the contempt goes away.
“The ground-level finding of contempt — after Mr. Robben went on the lamb without permission, remains intact,” he wrote.
“Now the court believes, every stakeholder has better things to do with their time, talents and lives,” McGee concluded.