Judges step aside in Barron case

Lowell Barron

Two of the three appeals court judges who stepped aside from former Sen. Lowell Barron's case say they did it because of family or staff ties to Barron and co-defendant Jill Johnson.  Three of the five judges on the Court of Criminal Appeals recused themselves Monday without giving reasons. On Tuesday, two followed up with explanations.  Judge Liles Burke wrote that his father's wife, Sharon Barron Burke, was previously married to Barron, and his two step-siblings are Barron's children.  Judge Michael Joiner says his senior staff attorney's cousin was married to Barron for many years and his senior staff attorney's brother is Johnson's lawyer.  Barron and Johnson faces six charges accusing them of misusing $58,000 in campaign donations to Barron's unsuccessful re-election campaign in 2010.