Oklahoma
Judge accused of scrolling on her phone for ‘hours’ during murder trial of 2-year-old boy — including when mother cried on stand
An Oklahoma judge was caught on video consistently using her phone during the murder trial of a 2-year-old boy, as his mother cried on the stand testifying against her boyfriend.
Oklahoma District 23 Judge Traci Soderstrom has been accused of scrolling through social media, texting and even searching for a GIF during a trial last month according to a courtroom surveillance video obtained by The Oklahoman.
Throughout the 50-minute-long video, Soderstrom holds her phone below the judge’s bench, texting or scrolling through Facebook, every once in a while jotting down notes while her phone remains lit on her lap.
At one point, Judith Danker, the woman testifying, reached for a tissue to wipe her tears and blow her nose as the judge glanced over to her and then back down to her phone to answer a text.
Soderstrom had ordered the jury to turn off their electronics so they could focus on the evidence shared during the June 12 court proceedings.
The Oklahoma Council on Judicial Complaints has opened an investigation into Soderstrom’s actions after the council received the video from the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office.
Soderstrom, who works out of the Lincoln County Courthouse in Chandler, approximately 45 miles northeast from Oklahoma City, was elected to her seat last November and was sworn in on January 9 to begin her four-year term serving the district that includes Lincoln and Pottawatomie counties.
The director of the council would not comment on the investigation as its work into accusations of judicial misconduct is secret by law, according to the Associated Press.
Sgt. Aaron Bennett of the Lincoln County Sheriff’s Office said cameras are placed inside courtrooms for security reasons, but the sheriff’s office did not provide the footage to the newspaper.
It is unknown if Soderstrom was aware of the camera directly behind her.
Both District Attorney Adam Panter and defense attorney Velia Lopez say they never saw Soderstrom using her phone, with Lopez even saying she did a “great job.”
Panter said he viewed the courtroom video and found Soderstrom “spent hours of the trial” texting and scrolling on her cellphone, according to AP.
“Jurors are banned from using cellphones in the courtroom during trials because we expect them to give their full time and attention to the evidence being presented,” Panter said. “I would expect and hope the court would hold itself to the same standard required of the jurors, regardless of the type of case.”
Oklahoma judges are bound to the Code of Judicial Conduct which states: “A judge shall act at all times in a manner that promotes public confidence in the independence, integrity and impartiality of the judiciary,”
The code does not specifically mention the use of mobile phones.
The judge was overseeing the pretrial, jury selection and opening statements relating to the 2018 death of Braxton Danker, 2, who suffered cardiac arrest after developing an infection that started from diaper rash.
Lincoln County officials at the time found the child with injuries all over his body including broken bones and open wounds that came from being beaten, according to News on 6.
Khristian Martzall and Danker were both arrested and charged with first-degree murder at the time, with death penalty documents being filed in October 2018 for the two accused.
Danker took a plea deal in 2019 and was sentenced to 25 years in prison for enabling or permitting child abuse.
Martzall was convicted of second-degree manslaughter at the trial, that concluded.
After falling twice away from home already this season, No. 7 Alabama will look to avoid a potential trap game in its final road trip of the regular season. The Crimson Tide (8-2, 5-2 in the SEC) will visit Oklahoma (5-5, 1-5) for a 6:30 p.m. CT kickoff Saturday inside Gaylord Family Oklahoma Memorial Stadium.
This will be the seventh matchup between Alabama and Oklahoma. The Sooners hold a 3-2-1 advantage in the series, but the Tide won the most recent meeting, recording a 45-34 victory in the 2018 Orange Bowl. Alabama is currently a 14-point favorite for Saturday’s game, according to the Caesars Sportsbook.
Here’s how Tide Illustrated’s staff thinks the game will play out.
The stark reality of the Cowboys future on the gridiron is up in the air. Can Oklahoma State bounce back in 2025 following one of the worst football seasons in years? Will the Pokes return next season and play with a chip on their shoulder? Only time will tell and the best way to improve the football team is for the coaching staff to hit the recruiting trail hard.
Oklahoma State will say goodbye to one of the greatest statistical wide receivers to ever wear the Cowboy orange. Senior Brennan Presley has been the cornerstone of the receiving core for the past four seasons. He is the all-time receptions leader in Oklahoma State history and has caught more than two passes in nearly every game since his sophomore season.
The offense won’t be the same in 2025 with Presley snagging catches across the middle, but the fans of Cowboy football won’t have to wait long as a familiar name will be entering the mix straight out of the class of 2026.
Presley Mode Unlocked 🔓@BixbySpartanFB x @BraedenPresley pic.twitter.com/Cw9zTpY1Hi
— Wes Richardson (@BigRichContent) October 7, 2024
On Thursday, Oklahoma State looked to make it the Presley trifecta when they offered the youngest of the bunch, 2026 Bixby star Braeden Presley. Older brothers Brennan and Braylin both committed to Oklahoma State out of high school. Brennan hung around to become the all-time receptions leader in school history while Braylin transferred to Tulsa.
Braeden is the biggest brother of the bunch and measures in at 6-foot-2 and 180 pounds, according to 247Sports. He is unranked at the moment but still has a full season of football yet to play. The interest continues to grow for Braeden who has drawn offers from Tulsa, Boston College and Kansas.
Oklahoma State joined the mix on Thursday and is hoping to use its family ties to lock up their third straight Presley. Little is known about Presley on the field, and he has proven this season that he is a jack of all trades. He has logged a rushing touchdown, receiving touchdown and passing touchdown this season for the Spartans of Bixby.
Braeden Presley (@BraedenPresley) joins the TD party🔥🔥 what a play!
75-0 Bixby over Har Ber @BixbySpartanFB @HomeofSpartans pic.twitter.com/09bKOULtKg
— KREFSportsTV (@KREFsportsTV) September 2, 2023
A majority of his highlights have come on the defensive side of the football. He has 27 tackles, three interceptions and a forced fumble in 2024 for a Bixby team who is searching for yet another Class 5A State Championship.
The fans of Oklahoma State football may not have to wait very long to have a Presley once again under the lights of Boone Pickens Stadium.
Want to join the discussion? Like Oklahoma State Cowboys on SI on Facebook and follow us on Twitter to stay up to date on all the latest Cowboys news. You can also meet the team behind the coverage.
CHARLESTON, S.C. – The University of Miami men’s basketball team fell to the Oklahoma State Cowboys (4-1), 80-74, Friday afternoon at TD Arena in the Hurricanes’ (3-2) second game of the 2024 Shriners Children’s Charleston Classic.
Down 17 with five minutes to play in the game, the Hurricanes connected on seven of their final ten shots to pull to within six of the Cowboys, but time ultimately ran out on Miami’s comeback.
Guard Nijel Pack recorded his second 20-point game of the season, totaling 20 points to lead the Hurricanes in scoring.
Forward Brandon Johnson tallied his first double-double of the season with 12 points and ten rebounds, pacing the Hurricanes’ on the glass.
Oklahoma State took control early, opening the game on a 9-0 run. Miami cut the lead to three thanks to a pair of 3-pointers from Blackmon and Pack, but the Cowboys responded with a 7-0 run to extend their lead to double-digits, 20-10, with 10 minutes to play in the first half.
The Cowboys shot 53.3 percent from 3-point range in the first half, increasing their lead to 16, 43-37, at the halftime break.
Oklahoma State took its largest lead of the game, 51-31, at the 14:35 mark in the second half, but Miami responded with an 11-4 run to cut the deficit to 13 at the midway point of the frame.
The Hurricanes shot 58.1 percent from the field in the second half, and four Miami players scored eight-plus points in the final 20 minutes of play, but they could not complete the comeback.
On Sunday, Miami will play VCU or Nevada at 12:30 p.m. ET at TD Arena in Charleston, S.C.
Courtesy of Miami Athletics
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