Former Alabama judge disbarred for spanking defendants wins election
His law license was initially suspended in March 2009 after he was indicted on criminal charges including sex abuse.
Mason Reed 
Herman Thomas, a former Mobile County circuit judge, has secured a return to public office following his election to the Alabama Democratic Executive Committee. Thomas, who was disbarred in 2010 for paddling and spanking criminal defendants, claimed the seat representing State House District 99 on Tuesday night.
Election Results
According to the Alabama Secretary of State website, Thomas captured 66% of the vote. He finished with 4,585 votes to defeat opponent Levi Wright Jr., who garnered 2,376 votes. This four-year term marks a significant comeback for Thomas after years of attempting to reenter the political sphere.
A Controversial Record
The Alabama Democratic Executive Committee is responsible for qualifying state party candidates and managing party operations. Thomas' electoral victory comes years after a disciplinary board ruled his conduct on the bench consisted of "sexually motivated assaults."
Thomas had his law license suspended in March 2009 following indictments on charges including sodomy, extortion, and sex abuse. Disciplinary records reveal that Thomas admitted to spanking up to five young men during his time as a judge. He also acknowledged taking young men from the Mobile County Metro Jail to the courthouse after business hours.
Among those he allegedly spanked was a son of state Sen. Vivian Davis Figures and brother of U.S. Rep. Shomari Figures. While Mobile County prosecutors attempted to prove in court that Thomas paddled jail inmates in exchange for judicial leniency, a jury returned not guilty verdicts on some charges and deadlocked on others, which were later dismissed. Ultimately, the Alabama Supreme Court upheld his disbarment following the disciplinary board's decision.
