US judge resigns after being disciplined for wearing Elvis wig in court

A Missouri court is rocked by the resignation of a judge who was disciplined for wearing an Elvis Presley wig in court and occasionally playing the singer's songs during the trial.

Matthew E.P. Thornhill, St. Charles County's longest-serving district judge, is a self-described Elvis buff, according to his biography.

But his love for the King of Rock 'n' Roll led a disciplinary panel to demand his removal, citing his frequent “inappropriate” references to Elvis in court.

In a letter explaining his actions, Judge Thornhill said his goal was to “add levity at times when I thought it would help to relax the plaintiffs.”

“I now recognize that this may impact the integrity and solemnity of the trial,” Judge Thornhill wrote in a Nov. 12 letter to the Missouri Supreme Court.

According to a report from the Missouri Commission on Judicial Retirement, Removal and Discipline, which investigates allegations of judicial misconduct, Judge Thornhill “routinely wore an Elvis Presley wig on or about October 31” (or Halloween) in court while conducting court cases.

The report shows images of the judge sitting on the bench, wearing an Elvis wig with his signature black buzzard and sunglasses.

He adds that Judge Thornhill sometimes gave plaintiffs or witnesses the opportunity to take the oath while playing Elvis music from his phone.

He also made occasional references to the singer during court proceedings, including his date of birth or death and lyrics from his music, according to the investigative report.

Judge Thornhill's burning love for all things Elvis is well documented.

In an interview with local media last year, he said he visited Graceland, where the singer lived and is buried, 13 times.

He added that Elvis has always been on his mind since he was a child.

The disciplinary report also cited unrelated behavior, such as revealing his political affiliation or preferred candidates for elections from the bench, and promoting his own election campaign by asking witnesses, lawyers and litigants whether they had seen his “Thornhill for Judge” signs around the city.

The panel found that Judge Thornhill “failed to maintain order and decorum in the courtroom” and recommended that he be suspended without pay for six months and then serve an additional 18 months before retiring.

In a letter dated November 12, Judge Thornhill did not dispute any of the charges, saying they were “substantially accurate” and conceding he had made a mistake.

He agreed to the terms laid out by the commission, which allowed him to complete his service on the bench and retire after 20 years.