Ancuța Popoviciu, who was the judge in the trial of Vlad Pascu in the May 2 case, was suspended for three months

Judge Ioana Ancuța Popoviciu, who first ruled on the May 2 accident case caused by Vlad Pascu, was suspended for three months. The decision was made on Wednesday by the Supreme Council of the Judiciary (CSM), at the request of the Judicial Audit, reports Agerpres. The judge came to attention after, during the first term of the trial, she asked if one of the two young people who died in the accident was present in the courtroom.

The department for judges in disciplinary cases within the CSM decided, on Wednesday, to suspend Ioana Ancuța Popovici from her post.

“Accepting the related disciplinary actions created by the Judicial Investigation against the accused Ioana Ancuţa Popoviciu – judge in the Court of Constanţa. Based on Art. to the defendant Ioana Ancuţa Popoviciu the disciplinary action which includes ‘suspension from office for three months’ for committing the disciplinary violations provided by Art 271 letter g) sentence I and art 271 letter s) sentence II of the same normative act.

The decision is not final and an appeal can be made within 15 days of the communication to a Panel of 5 judges of the High Court of Cassation and Justice.

The Judicial Inspectors announced in February that they had been notified ex officio and are investigating the judge’s behavior in the courtroom.

According to a press release sent to Agerpres, after the information that appeared in the public space regarding the conduct of the court hearing on February 22 at the Mangalia Court, the Judicial Audit ex officio contacted the appointed judge to resolve the issue regarding the accident of August 19, 2023.

“The ex officio transfer relates to compliance with the obligation to examine the files before the court hearing (including from the perspective of the presence of the judge in the institution before this date), the method in which the files and court hearings will be managed, the conduct of the judge. in court hearings, especially with reference to Thursday’s court session, in addition to the fact that there are circumstances of incompatibility in relation to the file mentioned”, said the statement of the Judicial Investigation.

Why was the judge charged?

At the end of that court session, the father of one of the young people who died in the accident said that the judge asked if his boy was in the courtroom. “He told me if my boy was in the courtroom. I have never seen such a judge in my life. He wanted his report card,” he said.

Also, another parent said that the judge seemed unprepared for the court hearing and was chewing gum.

On May 21, the Department for Judges at the Supreme Council of Judges acknowledged the transfer request to the Court of Constanța Ioana Ancuța Popoviciu, Vlad Pascu’s file taken over by another magistrate.

On October 11, 2023, the prosecutors of the Prosecutor’s Office attached to the Mangalia Court announced that Vlad Pascu was put on trial, in a suspended state, for committing the crimes of murder, culpable bodily injury, driving a vehicle under the influence of alcohol or other substances and leaving the scene of the accident.

“In the care of the accused, it was noted that, in the morning of 19.08.2023, he drove a vehicle on public roads, under the influence of psychoactive substances, and at the entrance to the town of 2 Mai, hit a group of people who were walking on the side of the road As a result of the impact, the named OAS (21 years old) and DRM (20 years old) died, in addition to the bodily injuries of the Designated BDD (18 years). old), CVA (20 years old) and ICI (20 years old).

Editor: AP