An appeals court on Thursday overturned the drug conviction of a Black man, saying his rights were violated by a Detroit federal judge who was upset over delays in the case and declared: “This guy looks like a criminal to me.”

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U.S. District Judge Stephen Murphy III, who is white, apologized nearly two years later when the case against Leron Liggins finally was ready for trial. {snip}

{snip} The court threw out a heroin distribution conviction and 10-year prison sentence and ordered a new trial with a different judge.

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Murphy said he lost his composure in 2020 after Liggins repeatedly had switched between wanting to plead guilty and choosing a trial and also failed to get along with his second lawyer. He ended up with four.

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“This guy looks like a criminal to me. This is what criminals do,” Murphy said. “{snip} He’s alleged to be dealing heroin, which addicts, hurts and kills people, and he’s playing games with the court.”

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