Deschutes County judge agrees to rare censure after intervening in two cases, including homicide

NewsChannel 21's Isabella Warren will have a report tonight

BEND, Ore. (KTVZ)-- Deschutes County Circuit Court Judge Bethany Flint agreed to censure this week by the Oregon Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability, after intervening in two local cases involving friends, one a still-unsolved homicide case.

In 2020, Flint was found to have been helping a friend through the process of obtaining a Family Abuse Prevention Act restraining order. Following the friend complaining to Flint that she was "treated poorly," the judge overseeing the restraining order later asked for advice regarding restraining order petitioners that "lack credibility."

After Flint learned the judge was talking about her friend, she complained about the judge's tone and wrote an opinion letter about their handling of a different restraining order case.

The second case occurred in 2022, when Flint was found to be intervening in a homicide case involving a friend. She “intervened in the conversation with law enforcement more than once,” according to the statement of facts in the report.

She also helped the wife of the victim, Leonard Peverieri, with finding an attorney and advised her and her children not to speak with police without a lawyer present. The case remains unsolved.

The Oregon Supreme Court will now review Flint's censure case.

Isabella Warren is speaking with Bend Mayor Melanie Kebler, who heads the Oregon Commission on Judicial Fitness and Disability. Her report is coming up on NewsChannel 21.