Tulsa attorney running for judge to send a message

A Tulsa attorney with a long history of advocacy for the legalization of marijuana has filed to run for District Judge, and says his intention is to send a message to the sitting judge.

Michael Fairchild has practiced law for forty years, and is well-known for his "free till it's legal (sic)" slogan.

He offers to represent anyone on a first offense for possession of marijuana without charge.

Thursday, he filed to unseat District Judge Kurt Glassco, and he tells KRMG he has a very specific reason in mind.

"I find Judge Glassco to be arrogant and 'holier than thou,'" he said. "He's a Methodist minister, he seems to carry that attitude into court. He plays favorites, he tends to form instant dislikes to defendants. He seems to me to be harder on marijuana charges than other judges. I don't want to have him trying any more of my cases, and I'm standing up. He acts like a bully and I'm standing up to him. I'm tired of him acting like a bully and taking my clients' lunch money. So I'm gonna run against him, I don't want him trying any more of my cases."

[Hear the entire interview HERE]

He said he hopes that if he makes Glassco's conduct public, Glassco will recuse himself from any future cases in which Fairchild represents the defendant.

He does see larger issues with the justice system which he'd like to address.

"Our justice system over the course of my career has gone consistently downhill. We're locking up more women than any other jurisdiction in the world, and more men than all but about two states, and I think we probably have about the worst justice system going, and I hope by campaigning to bring some improvement to that."

He added, "I want justice for my clients, and that's why I'm running. I'm telling you what's wrong with the system in general, I'm telling you specifically what's wrong with Judge Glassco. I want my clients to have more of a shot at justice."

KRMG called the Kurt Glassco campaign office for a response.

We will follow up when we hear from him.