On Thursday, January 16, 2025, Lafayette Journal & Courier reported that Wayne Circuit Court Judge April Drake has stepped down from overseeing a civil lawsuit involving the Richmond police and Wayne County Prosecutor’s Office. The recusal comes in light of a case initiated by Richmond Assistant Police Chief Adam Blanton against Prosecutor Michael Shipman. The lawsuit, filed last week, centers on Blanton’s inclusion on Shipman’s Brady/Giglio list, a designation that Blanton argues unjustly harms his professional reputation.
In her order dated January 14, Judge Drake outlined the procedure for selecting a replacement judge, stating that both parties could either agree on a new judge or have one assigned by the court clerk. Blanton claims that Shipman’s actions have exceeded his authority, labeling his placement on the list as a “professional scarlet letter.” He contends that this designation has been made public, damaging his standing without due process and impacting inter-agency relations.
Blanton’s lawsuit also references an email allegedly sent by Shipman to a Cambridge City police officer, suggesting that charges would not be pursued in certain cases due to the officer’s association with Blanton. This email is described in the lawsuit as indicative of a personal vendetta against Blanton.
Shipman plans to be represented by the Indiana attorney general’s office and intends to vigorously contest the allegations in court filings.
Source: Lafayette Journal & Courier
