NORTHEAST PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — A Philadelphia judge has been removed from the bench, and suspended without pay after he was charged with domestic assault earlier this week.
Family Court Judge Michael Fanning faces several charges, including aggravated and simple assault, strangulation, and reckless endangerment. He’s accused of punching a family member several times in the head, pulling her to the ground and strangling her. Fanning then allegedly attacked another family member, grabbing her hair, pulling her to the ground and causing a cut on her face.
Police said the incident happened on Monday night just before 9 p.m. inside a home on Milnor Street near the Delaware River Yacht Club in Northeast Philadelphia.
On Thursday, the 60-year-old judge was suspended without pay until the case is resolved.
“The court moved expeditiously to restrict Judge Fanning’s access to the building and immediately reassigned all his cases,” a court spokesperson told KYW Newsradio. “He was placed on administrative leave this morning.”
The spokesperson said that Fanning mostly dealt with child custody cases, but has presided over others, including some dealing with domestic violence. He has been on the bench since 2014.
KYW Newsradio reached out to Fanning’s attorney, but has not heard back yet.
A preliminary hearing in the assault case is scheduled for later this month.