The Chicago attorney has apologized and says she was “shaken and humiliated” after calling the sheriff’s deputies “that motherf*****” and using racial slurs while they were unmuted on a livestream
- Donna Makowski crawled before a judge in a contempt of court hearing on Friday
- She had said in an unmuted conversation ahead of a livestream court hearing, “Those motherf****** in the sheriff’s office” and “N****** do that all the time.”
- Makowski said the comments were not directed at the black judge
- Judge Dominique Ross decided not to hold her for contempt of court
- She faces disciplinary action by the Public Prosecutor’s Registration and Disciplinary Commission
A Chicago attorney has been forced to apologize after calling sheriff’s deputies “those motherfuckers” and using a racial slur in a livestreamed court hearing.
Donna Makowski crept in front of Judge Dominique Ross – who is black – in a defiance of court on Friday for her comments the day before and told her: “I am shocked and I am humbled.”
Makowski was not convicted of contempt of court as Ross argued her public humiliation was punishment enough, reports the Chicago Sun-Times.
But she could now face disciplinary action from the Illinois Attorney Registration and Disciplinary Commission, which last year reassigned a judge and ordered him to undergo sensitivity training after he was caught making sexist comments on a hot mic at another livestream court hearing made.
Chicago attorney Donna Makowski (pictured) was forced to apologize after she was recorded calling sheriff’s deputies “those motherfuckers” and saying, “Do it all the time.”
Judge Dominique Ross decided not to scorn Makowski in court, saying her humiliation was punishment enough
According to court documents obtained by CBS News, Makowski could be heard in an unmuted conversation while waiting for her client to log in for a livestream court hearing on Thursday, saying, “That motherf****** in the office of the Sheriffs’ and ‘N***** do it all the time.’
Ross called the comments “unprofessional, disrespectful and contemptuous” and scheduled a contempt hearing for the next day.
As this hearing began, the Sun-Times reports that Makowski humbly apologized, saying, “Your Honor, I apologize. I have no words for the inexcusable episode that happened yesterday.’
Makowski then insisted that the language was not addressed to the black judge.
“It was outrageous whether you took it to the court or not,” Ross replied. “I’m sure you have customers who are people of color.”
At that point, Makowski revealed that her late husband was black, prompting Ross to tell her, “That doesn’t give anyone the ability to make statements like that. You’re just not right.
But in the end, Ross decided not to despise Makowski in court because “the court can’t teach adults not to make ignorant statements, not to use racial slurs, whether they’re addressing the court or not.”
“There is no punishment this court can inflict on you that will surpass the embarrassment, the humiliation that your peers and other judges have heard of you.”
Despite this, she said, “Your apology is accepted.”
Makowski was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1984
Since the statement, Makowski’s law firm’s Facebook page has been inundated with comments they describe as racist.
One man wrote: “Next time you will [think] long and hard before you open yours [mouth]’ while one woman commented, ‘Welp your career is on fire. The truth always comes out! Wish this had been revealed sooner.’
Makowski was admitted to the Illinois bar in 1984. According to CBS News, she has never faced disciplinary action from the state regulator.