Charges fly in high court race

As Tuesday’s election approaches, charges are flying in the non-partisan contested race for the Idaho Supreme Court. Justice Roger Burdick issued a press release ripping his challenger, 2nd District Judge John Bradbury, for four decisions in criminal matters that were reversed on appeal, saying, “If the appellate courts had adopted Bradbury’s view of the law, Idaho’s death row would have been essentially emptied after 2003 and none of more than a dozen death row inmates could have been resentenced to death.” Bradbury issued a press release blasting Burdick for comments in a debate that Bradbury contends went too far in addressing a water issue that will come before the Supreme Court, saying, “Justice Burdick may very well have exposed himself to disqualification on the very issues that he is trying to use to ride to another term.” Also, current Chief Justice Dan Eismann issued a statement critical of claims made in two Bradbury campaign ads.

The Burdick-Bradbury race is the only contested race for Idaho’s highest court his year; Justice Jim Jones is unopposed for re-election.