Judge the Judge
“The Judge — Character. Cases. Courage,” a documentary by the Richmond-based American Documentary Film Fund about U.S. federal Eastern District court judge Robert R. Merhige Jr., airs at 9 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 17, on VPM PBS (WCVE), followed by a repeat at 8 p.m. on Monday, Dec. 21, on VPM Plus (WCVW). Merhige’s controversial decisions ranged from the admission of women to the University of Virginia; a $13.2 million judgement against Allied Chemical Corp. for poisoning the James River with Kepone; the approval of the reorganization of A.H. Robins Co., creating a $3.2 billion trust fund to compensate Dalkon Shield claimants; and, most roiling, rulings in favor of Richmond public school desegregation through mass busing.
—Harry Kollatz Jr., Senior Writer