Monti Belot | |
|---|---|
| Senior Judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Kansas | |
| Assumed office March 4, 2008 | |
| Judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Kansas | |
| In office November 25, 1991 – March 4, 2008 | |
| Appointed by | George H. W. Bush |
| Preceded by | Seat established by 104 Stat. 5089 |
| Succeeded by | Eric F. Melgren |
| Personal details | |
| Born | Monti Louis Belot (1943-03-04)March 4, 1943 (age 82) Kansas City, Missouri, U.S. |
| Education | University of Kansas (BA,JD) |
Monti Louis Belot (born March 4, 1943) is an inactiveseniorUnited States district judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Kansas.
Belot was born inKansas City, Missouri. He received aBachelor of Arts degree from theUniversity of Kansas in 1965 and aJuris Doctor from theUniversity of Kansas School of Law in 1968. He was aUnited States Naval Reserve Legal officer, in the JAG Corps, from 1968 to 1971. He was alaw clerk for JudgeWesley E. Brown of the United States District Court for the District of Kansas from 1971 to 1973. He was anassistant United States attorney inTopeka, Kansas from 1973 to 1976. He was a special assistant to theUnited States attorney in Topeka from 1976 to 1978. He was in private practice inKansas City, Kansas from 1976 to 1983. He was in private practice inCoffeyville, Kansas from 1983 to 1991.[1]
On July 26, 1991, Belot was nominated by PresidentGeorge H. W. Bush to a new seat on theUnited States District Court for the District of Kansas created by 104 Stat. 5089. He was confirmed by theUnited States Senate on November 21, 1991, and received his commission on November 25, 1991. He assumedsenior status on March 4, 2008.[1]
Belot presided over the trial of Stephen and Linda Schneider, charged with illegally distributing prescription painkillers.[2] In that capacity, he threw out all but 4 of the 56 alleged patient overdose deaths AssistantUnited States Attorney Tanya Treadway attempted to link to the Schneiders, "sternly warned Treadway not to appeal his decision [and] also instructed the government not to use inflammatory descriptions like 'pill mill' in front of the jury."[3] Belot also denied federal prosecutor Tanya Treadway's request for a gag order onPain Relief Network founder and pain relief advocateSiobhan Reynolds, as well as her request for a change of venue.[4]
However, by the time Belot sentenced the Schneiders to 30 years in prison in October 2010,[2] "he was so irritated by Reynolds' advocacy on behalf of the couple that he could not contain himself."[5] In his sentencing opinion,[6] "he digressed to take a swipe at Ms. Reynolds and her group, though he did not get its name quite right," saying "he hoped the prison sentences would 'curtail or stop the activities of theBozo the Clown outfit known as the Pain Control Network, aship of fools if there ever was one.' He added that the group and its leaders were 'stupid' and 'deranged.'"[2] JournalistJacob Sullum referred to these statements as "an extraordinary tirade against Reynolds and PRN, neither of which was a party to the case," adding:
Is Belot really saying that one function of the heavy sentences imposed on the Schneiders is to deter Reynolds and like-minded activists from speaking out against such prosecutions in the future? That's certainly what it sounds like. Reynolds seems to have a real talent for getting under the skin of people in power. But that is not a crime—or at least it shouldn't be.[7]
| Legal offices | ||
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| Preceded by Seat established by 104 Stat. 5089 | Judge of theUnited States District Court for the District of Kansas 1991–2008 | Succeeded by |
| International | |
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| National | |
