California Mother and Father appear before Family Court Judge to determine timesharing and visitation.

Mother begs Judge to protect nine month old Baby from Father.

Mother produces e-mails, allegedly from Father, recounting a father’s murder of his nine month old baby and his own suicide. The sender of the e-mails is identified only as “John Hancock” though.

Judge reacts by saying to Mother that “[m]y suspicion is that you’re lying“.

Only Mother isn’t lying.

Ten days later, Father and Baby are dead of gunshot wounds at Father’s hands.

Father allegedly put strange messages to Mother out on the internet in the days preceding his death, apparently seeking reconciliation.

Community in which Mother, Father and Baby live is angry over Judge’s ruling and behavior toward Mother. Voters picket Judge’s courtroom carrying “baby killer” signs.

Other candidates spring up to run against Judge in upcoming election.

Judge concludes that order of protection would not have stopped Father anyway.

But Judge apologizes for virtually calling Mother a “liar”.

Mother doesn’t want to see any other children hurt by Judge.

Read more in this San Jose Mercury News article: Judge faces election after unpopular decision.