Mississippi judge shrugs off innocent until proven guilty: People charged with crimes are criminals https://t.co/Dm7KENXIZA

— Kragar (@Kragar_LGF) October 19, 2015

The Al Jazeera reporter told Gordon, who presides over four counties, that she spoke to numerous inmates who said they had waited for nearly a year to speak to an attorney, and those meetings lasted 10 minutes at most.

“Are you believing the statements of the defendants?” Gordon said. “They will tell you anything you want to hear.”

However, he admitted that, if those claims were true, the detentions may be violating the inmates’ rights — but the judge indicated he really didn’t care.

“Lady, the criminal system is a system of criminals,” Gordon said. “Sure, their rights are violated, but not all rights are violated that you’re calling violation.”

He dismissed the reporter’s assertion that law enforcement could verify the inmates’ claims, and he denied responsibility for denying counsel to jailed suspects — even though he admits that the policy was his own and not the state’s.

“Go talk to the governor, talk to the legislature — I do not have responsibility,” Gordon said. “I don’t have the time, and I don’t have the damn energy to do it all.”