► Attorney Eugene Hammermaster of Tacoma; moron, Il Duce Wannabee Print E-mail
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Attorney Eugene Hammermaster of Tacoma; moron, Il Duce Wannabee, ethical elf

In a prior life, attorney Eugene Hammermaster was a judge in several municipal courts in Pierce County, Washington, which is in the Tacoma area.
 
In late 1999, the Washington Supreme Court suspended Judge Eugene Hammermaster from the bench for six months for engage in a plethora of egregious misconduct, some of which is as follows.
 
Life sentences for unpaid fines
 
Judge Eugene Hammermaster consistently and illegally threatened defendants with life sentences and fines of $40 a day, $300 a week, $1200 a month and over $12,000 a year.
 
A defendant once told Judge Eugene Hammermaster, “I don’t make a lot of money, when I’m working part-time; I made five dollars an hour.” The Hammer told him, “Wouldn’t it make sense that you spend the rest of your life in jail?” Hey Il Duce, how about you spending the rest of your life bunked up with Josephine (real name is Joseph) in cell #56 in Walla Walla?
 
In 12 out of 21 cases, Judge Eugene Hammermaster “unlawfully” threatened defendants with an indefinite jail sentence or life imprisonment until they paid the fines and costs he assessed against them. In one case, the Hammer told a defendant:
 
“If I do find you in contempt of court, that means you stay in jail until [the fine] gets paid. And, in addition, if you’re in contempt of court, you have to pay the cost of being in jail. That means that this fine gets added to at the rate of $40 a day. That’s what? Almost $300 a week; over $1,000 a month, over $12,000 a year. That probably means a life sentence for a lousy $350 fine. That’s what contempt of court means, sir.” Sure it does Il Duce!
 
The mentally disturbed defendant
 
When a former Western State Hospital psychiatric patient came before the Hammer on a traffic matter, the defendant said:

 

 
“I try to get a job everywhere, man, and nobody will fucking hire me. I can’t stand being alone and being bored all the time.”
 
The Judge Eugene Hammermaster responded by saying, “For somebody to say they’re bored is ridiculous. If you’re bored it’s you own fault. It sounds like a bunch of pity pot, feeling sorry for yourself, which as far as I’m concerned is garbage. . . . You’ll probably be coming back next time and saying they’re keeping me so busy I’m going to crack up. Now you’re telling me you’re so bored you’re going to crack up, and if you say well, I’m so busy I’m going to crack up, I know how to solve that too. There’s a place here where you can have free room and board where you won’t be busy at all, called the Crowbar Hotel.”?
 
The Hammer’s Defense
 
Judge Eugene Hammermaster noted that town attorneys (he worked for four different towns as a judge) approved of his legal (illegal) inventions.
 
Local prosecutors were quite happy with the Hammer threatening defendants and collecting fines without the discomfort of an adversarial process (aka, due process). 
 
The residents of the four towns were also happy with the Hammer because he generated lots of income and was tough on undesirables (aka, Latinos and other undesirable poor folks). 
 
Allowing Sheriff to act Prosecutor and Defense Counsel
 
Judge Eugene Hammermaster allowed Orting police chief Ron Emmons (not a lawyer) to cross-examine the same defendants that he had previously arrested in open court.  
 
The public record proves that Judge Eugene Hammermaster illegally allowed Emmons to act as the city attorney, sometimes negotiating and submitting plea agreements for the accused. In truth, Emmons was working both sides of the legal-aisle at the same time. Isn’t that cute!
 
Special treatment for Hispanics
 
Judge Eugene Hammermaster routinely issued “illegal” orders compelling Spanish-speaking defendants to enroll in English classes, to become U.S. citizens, or to leave the US in a given period of time. 
 
Illegal Threats against Litigants
 
Judge Eugene Hammermaster said he had a knack for spotting illegal aliens, using his “gut reaction.” In court, he would test his suspicions by asking defendants “Are you legal?” (To bad they didn’t ask Il Duce, “is what you’re doing legal?)
 
Wow, is this guy good or what? Maybe all of the state Supreme Courts could use this guy to take a peek at sitting judges and tell them who’s “been naughty and who’s been nice.” Sure would save lots of time, not to mention untold victimization, right?
 
Holding trials in Absentia (defendant absent)
 
On at least four (4) occasions, Judge Eugene Hammermaster conducted trials in absentia (the defendant wasn’t present) in violation of the law. So what! It saved lots of money by not having a “real trial,” right Hammer?
 
Violating defendants’ “Due Process” Rights
On 7 occasions, Judge Eugene Hammermaster knowingly violated a defendants “due process” rights by failing to determine whether the guilty plea was knowingly, voluntarily, and intelligently made, with the understanding of the charge and the consequences of the plea. 
 
You say he violated their due process rights “knowingly”? I’d like to know how in the hell a judge could
do this “unknowingly” unless he was a certifiable “dumbass.” 
 
The Hammer’s Testimony before the Commission
 
When asked about his threats of imposing sentences of life in prison for failing to pay fines, The Hammer’s testimony went as follows:
 
Question: Is there any limit on what you can say to get a defendant to pay a fine?
Hammer: “I don’t even know if I’ve even thought about that question, sir.”
Question: “Do you believe you can impose any condition you want?
Hammer: “I don’t think so, but I don’t know where the limitations are (In the law books; you idiot!). I don’t know that I’ve ever thought about that.”
 
The Hammer admits that he’s a “certified moron”
 
Judge Eugene Hammermaster admitted that he did not understand it was his duty to explain the elements of the criminal offense to be a requirement of accepting a guilty plea. 
 
He further admitted that he did not understand his responsibility to explain the maximum and minimum sentences to be a requirement for accepting a guilty plea. 
 
What in the hell was this admitted idiot doing on the bench. More importantly, how did he ever get on the bench in the first place?
 
The Hammer’s promises to the Judicial Commission
 
Indicated his willingness to change, if so directed. 
With respect to holding trial in absentia, Eugene said, “If I’m wrong (what do you mean “if” you idiot), I’m willing to stand corrected.” 
Regarding guilty plea issues (due process), Eugene said, “I’m willing to change if I’m wrong.” 
 
Judicial Commission Recommendations
 
The enablers and apologists sitting on the Judicial Commission recommended to the State Supreme Court that Eugene be suspended from office for 30 days without pay. They declined the magnanimous offer and increased it to a six-month suspension without pay.
 
Eugene was also ordered to take judicial education classes in criminal procedure, ethics and diversity. A little late for that don’t ya think?
 
Eugene Hammermaster was further ordered to meet with a judicial mentor approved by the Commission. Wouldn’t it be more appropriate if he met with a committee of mentors made up of the victims of his outrageous and unlawful conduct? Now, there’s a sporting event I’d pay to see! How about you?
 
Attorney Eugene Hammermaster’s current status
 
Despite the egregious nature of Eugene Hammermaster’s misconduct, the enablers sitting on the Washington Supreme Court never took any action to have his license revoked.
 
As we speak (ca. Nov. 2009), Eugene Hammermaster now practices law in Sumner, Washington. He has the chutzpah to advertise his wares on his web site at www.hammermasterlawoffices.com by stating in part:
 
Welcome to Sumner’s best law office
We take pride in our work and truly enjoy helping people
We provide the very best professional and personal service available
 
If ya live in the greater Tacoma, Washington area, I would seriously advise you to steer clear of this fool if you’re looking to employ an attorney.
 
 

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