Texas Supreme Court reinstates judge who beat disabled daughter

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The Texas Supreme Court on Tuesday lifted the suspension of an Aransas County judge who was caught on video beating his 16-year-old disabled daughter.

Judge William Adams was suspended with pay last year while the State Commission on Judicial Conduct investigated the allegations against him. In September, the commission issued a public warning, stating that Adams conduct discredited the judiciary because he had regularly presided over child custody, child abuse, and family violence cases. He will no longer preside over some cases brought by the Texas Department of Family and Protective services.

The Corpus Christi Caller Times noted it is typical for judicial suspensions to be lift after the commission issues a censure, unless that censure calls for the judge to be removed from the bench.

Adam’s disabled daughter, Hillary, uploaded the video to YouTube last year, claiming the recording from 2004 showed only a snippet of the abuse she had endured from her father.

In the video, Adams is seen repeatedly whipping his daughter with a belt while shouting expletive-filled threats at her. Hillary explained that her father had become upset because she illegally downloaded games and music to her computer. She was born with ataxic cerebral palsy.

Adams’ ex-wife and Hillary’s mother, Hallie Adams, told the Associated Press she was extremely disappointed with the decision to reinstate Adams.

“Hillary and I are both really sad today,” she said. “I had really hoped the judicial review process would work. I had really wanted to see the public protected.”

Numerous law enforcement agencies opened investigations on Adams, but no charges were filed because of statute of limitations.