Judge Stepping Down Marcus Kelly Carried On In His Father’s Footsteps On The Spokane County Superior Court
Marcus Kelly will be remembered as the second half of the only father-son judging duo in the history of Spokane County Superior Court.
He’d rather be remembered as fair.
Kelly, 64, is stepping down after 21 years on the bench. He’ll hang up the robe Dec. 31.
“I want to see what it’s like to not have a calendar and a clock run my life,” he said Friday.
His late father, the near-legendary Raymond Kelly, logged four decades as a justice of the peace and judge before retiring in 1973.
The following spring, Marcus Kelly was sworn in as a court commissioner and the tradition continued. In July 1979, Gov. Dixy Lee Ray appointed him judge.
Born and raised in Spokane, Kelly attended Gonzaga Prep and Gonzaga University, graduating from its law school in 1957 after a twoyear hitch in the Army.
The father of five began his career as an assistant attorney general, then went into private practice for 12 years.
As a judge, he earned a reputation as a tough sentencer.
In 1990, he sentenced Thomas Maupin to 40 years in prison for the murder of 6-year-old Tricna Cloy. That same year, he sent Ronnie Lee Hicks to prison for 25 years for raping three women, two of them in their 70s.
Three years ago, Kelly handed neo-Nazi skinhead Billy Worl Jr. a 15-year prison term for a racially motivated stabbing.
Kelly said those were heinous crimes and the punishment was well deserved.
What doesn’t grab headlines is the judge’s compassion, fairness and playful humor.
“He’s the most jovial and congenial of all my colleagues,” said Judge Robert Austin.
Kelly said he’ll miss the “mental tilting” with lawyers, not the constant exposure to Spokane’s dark and violent underworld.
His exit continues an unprecedented transition period for the 10-judge bench.
Three new judges have arrived since 1994: Tari Eitzen, Paul Bastine and Neal Rielly.
Court officials are asking the state and county to create an 11th judgeship next year.
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