Former JP arrested for indecency with a child

BY VALERIE REDDELL
Editor
polknews@gmail.com

LIVINGSTON — Former Pct. 4 Justice of the Peace Howard Jay Lilley, 65, surrendered to Polk County sheriff’s deputies Monday on warrants for two felony counts of indecency with a child by sexual contact. Det. Christi Allen of the Polk County Sheriff’s Office said the warrants were issued as the result of an investigation that began with a complaint PCSO received Nov. 6, 2011. During the investigation Allen said prior allegations of indecency with a child were discovered. Lilley was taken before 411th District Judge Robert Hill Trapp for an arraignment hearing and bond was set at $20,000 for each charge and Lilley was released on bond. Lilley served as Pct. 3 Justice of the Peace for 15 years, eight months from 1987 to 2002. He resigned from office on Sept. 10, 2002, amid an investigation by the State Commission on Judicial Conduct. Lilley appeared before the commission on Aug. 21, 2002, to testify about complaints made to the board on Jan. 29 and Feb. 6, 2002. The commissioner examiner found “a preponderance of the evidence substantiated the allegations.” Lilley denied the allegations , but to settle the complaints without any further action, he agreed to resign his position as JP and never seek judicial office again. Sources speaking on condition of anonymity said the complaint to the Judicial Commission related to a female defendant who had a case pending before Lilley. She was allegedly given the chance to “work off” her punishment privately. At the time of his resignation, Lilley had already announced his intention to seek another term as JP. He withdrew from the race and attached two doctors’ statements to his certificate of withdrawal. The statements claimed that Lilley suffered from several medical conditions that necessitated his resignation. In a subsequent civil lawsuit related to Lilley’s resignation, pleadings filed with the 9th District Court of Appeals claimed that the catastrophic illness basis for the resignation was “a sham” rivaled only by the real reason for his resignation and withdrawal. Polk County Democrats replaced him with Mike Templeton. Templeton was defeated by Republican Steve McEntyre in general election in November 2002.