A Courtroom Comedy of Errors
Picture this: a felony case on August 15, 2024, where a defendant stands before Farmer, nervously awaiting his fate. The man, expecting the birth of three children with different women, becomes the unwitting target of Farmer’s humor. “OK, you’ve been busy. You were just shooting all over the place!” Farmer quipped, according to court documents. “That’s good. Do you know their names? First and last? Romantic, are you? Don’t tell Susie about Jane. Don’t tell Jane about Mary. God bless you, man. One’s enough.”
The jest didn’t stop there. Farmer, presiding over the same case, allegedly told the defendant he’d be placed on pretrial release with a peculiar condition: “I’m going to order that you wear a condom at all times. For your own good, OK? Probation is going to check. No, I’m kidding. I’m kidding.” Later, he recommended a female attorney to the defendant, adding a warning not to “get her pregnant.” The remarks, described by Farmer’s attorney as attempts to “lighten tension,” and bring a little “humanity” to the room, struck a sour note with the FJQC, who saw them as undermining the court’s dignity.
Farmer’s comedic repertoire extended beyond this case. While presiding over State v. Georgia Smith, he reportedly serenaded the defendant with a rendition of “Sweet Georgia” and urged her to say “peachy” or sing about “peaches down in Georgia” and “weed in California.” He even apologized to an attorney for trying to make him laugh, admitting it was a “challenge.” In another instance, Farmer quoted extensively from an In Living Color sketch mocking gay people, later claiming he forgot his microphone was on. The FJQC wasn’t amused, citing these incidents as part of a pattern of misconduct.
And then there were the dad jokes. On August 15, 2024, Farmer reportedly declared, “Spring is here. I got so excited I wet my plants,” followed by, “What did the shirt say to the pair of pants? Wassup britches!” The court filing dryly noted these as part of Farmer’s self-proclaimed “exceptionally, exceptionally bad jokes,” which the panel deemed inappropriate for a judicial setting.
