Broward Judge Convicted Of DUI Fighting For Her Job
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FORT LAUDERDALE (CBSMiami) -- A Broward judge convicted of drunk driving now says she should never have been driving.
Speaking publicly for the first time about her November 2013 arrest, Judge Cynthia Imperato told a judicial panel that she drank more than the two glasses of wine she said she had at a reception.
"Obviously I had much more and should not have gotten behind the wheel," she said.
The Judicial Qualifying Commission held a hearing to recommend punishment for her behavior.
Imperato also apologized to the police officers who arrested her.
"I apologize and know you were just doing your job," she said.
The JQC will present their findings to the Florida supreme court.
The court can agree to the punishment or impose their own which includes a fine suspension or removal.
Back in May, Florida's Supreme Court rejected a proposed punishment for Imperato.
She had originally agreed to a 20-day unpaid suspension, $5,000 fine and public reprimand but the high court rejected it and ordered a full hearing to determine what sanction to impose.
In November 2013, Boca Raton Police pulled over Imperato after she was spotted driving erratically. She later allegedly refused to submit to a breath sample test.
Judge Imperato later accepted full responsibility for her conduct and said she was going to use the incident as an opportunity to improve her actions.
