Dec. 31 (UPI)– Effingham County, Ga., Judge Stephen Yekel passed away by suicide while inside a county courtroom where he was slated to serve his last day on the bench on Tuesday.
An Effingham County constable’s deputy discovered Yekel’s body inside the courtroom at 10:30 a.m. Tuesday after Yekel utilized a gun to eliminate himself, WSAV reported.
Court authorities stated Yekel most likely shot himself throughout the over night hours.
Yekel lost his re-election quote in June and on Dec. 6 sent a letter of resignation, however Georgia Gov. Brian Kemp contradicted Yekel’s resignation and his recommendation that a nullification of the outcomes may be in order.
Yekel’s letter of resignation designated Dec. 30 as his last day on the bench, the Effingham Herald reported.
“I feel that the workplace of State Court Judge of Effingham County is too crucial to be chosen by just 6% of qualified citizens in Effingham County,” Yekel stated in his resignation letter.
Kemp did decline the low citizen turnout as cause for nullifying the election outcome.
“Regardless of the low turnout for this year’s overflow election, individuals of Effingham County have actually spoken,” Kemp stated in a Dec. 12 reaction.
“The outcomes of a reasonable election must not be nullified on the basis of a manufactured legal technicality,” Kemp stated.
Yekel lost an overflow election on June 18 to challenger Melissa Calhoun, who got 1,407 votes to Yekel’s 1,088. Just 2,886 of 46,188 signed up citizens cast tallies in the overflow election.
Chief Judge F. Gates Peed closed the court house for the rest of the day Tuesday and stated regular court house hours will resume on Thursday. All county workplaces similarly closed at twelve noon.
The county constable’s department is examining the matter, and the Georgia Bureau of Investigation carries out an autopsy.
Effingham County lies 30 miles northwest of Savannah, Ga.
If you or somebody you understand is self-destructive, call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 988 to reach a nonjudgmental therapist who will offer empathy and assistance at any time of the day or night of the year.
