Judge accused of using ‘game or jail’ tactic, asserting abuse victims get ‘Super Bowl’ neurochemicals

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Choose accused of utilizing ‘recreation or jail’ tactic, asserting abuse victims get ‘Tremendous Bowl’ neurochemicals

By Debra Cassens Weiss

March 27, 2025, 3:15 pm CDT

An Indiana decide has been accused in an ethics grievance of failing to acknowledge “acceptable moral boundaries” and making “injudicious statements” to litigants and defendants.

Choose Matthew J. Elkin of Howard County, Indiana, allegedly singled out some individuals for particular therapy within the problem-solving courts over which he presided and made discourteous remarks to different individuals and litigants, in keeping with a March 26 assertion of expenses. A March 26 press launch summarized the allegations.

WISH, WTHR, the Kokomo Tribune and the Indiana Lawyer have protection.

The issue-solving courts included drug courtroom, which addressed substance-abuse problems with prison defendants, and the reentry courtroom, which centered on reintegrating individuals into the neighborhood after incarceration.

In a single occasion in March 2023, Elkin allegedly advised a reentry participant who had been a home violence sufferer why he thinks that such victims keep in relationships.

He started by speaking concerning the type of elation quarterback Tom Brady should really feel when profitable the Tremendous Bowl. After the win, Brady’s mind “is crammed with every kind of neurochemicals,” he mentioned.

“If I smack the sh-t out of you proper now, what chemical substances get dumped in your mind?” Elkin allegedly mentioned. “The very same chemical substances he experiences when he wins the Tremendous Bowl. Do you know that? So the entire thing is each time I beat you up otherwise you beat me up, we received the Tremendous Bowl. … So if I smack you within the head and you are feeling the very same method so you may benefit from the relationship. That’s what occurs. … That’s the reality. That’s why girls don’t go away.”

In one other occasion in October 2023, Elkin is accused of utilizing a “recreation or jail” tactic after studying {that a} re-entry courtroom participant known as R.P. was accused of rule violations. Elkin ordered the handcuffing of the particular person seated subsequent to R.P. and advised them the handcuffed particular person could be despatched to jail if R.P. lied to him.

His goal, Elkin later mentioned, was to forestall R.P. from rationalizing or downplaying his habits and would reward him for telling the reality.

The grievance additionally alleges that Elkin:

  • Remarked on a prison defendant’s prolonged report, saying, “You may have extra convictions than the common youngster molester on this nation. You’re the one-third of the one p.c of the worst individuals within the planet.”

  • Displayed an indication to a problem-solving courtroom participant that mentioned, “Watching you dumb a- -.”

  • Didn’t disqualify himself in some instances by which he beforehand represented the defendant as a prison protection lawyer or appointed public defender.

  • Adopted problem-solving courtroom individuals exterior the courtroom to investigate cross-check them.

  • Informed some employees members he has adopted them or had them adopted exterior the courtroom and twice accused them of being “moles.”

  • Gave particular therapy to some problem-solving courtroom individuals however to not others. In a single case, he allowed a drug-court participant to reside at his spouse’s rental property, initially charging just for utilities. In different situations, he allowed individuals to retailer private belongings at his or his spouse’s properties, rented a automobile for one participant making use of for a job, provided family and private belongings to individuals, and walked one particular person to a medical appointment earlier than incarceration.

A lawyer for Elkin, Jennifer Lukemeyer, didn’t instantly reply to an ABA Journal request for remark.

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