A sad passing.

The AP is reporting part of the story, but the Mitchell Daily Republic is reporting as close as you can find to the full story on the death of a Mitchell Judge as written by Sarah Dittmer:
Friends and family of Lee Anderson were saddened and shocked upon hearing the news of the local judge’s death Monday afternoon.

Anderson, 54, was found dead of an apparent suicide at 1:45 p.m. outside his rural Mitchell home. He had served as a judge for nearly 15 years.

Friend and state Rep. Mike Vehle, of Mitchell, said Anderson had a “zest for life.”

“I loved him dearly,” said Vehle. “I think of all our trips and the things we did, and the things I would have never done if it wasn’t for Lee.”

Word of Anderson’s death spread quickly Monday. Employees at the Davison County Courthouse were visibly shaken Monday afternoon. Colleagues around the state already had heard the news by late afternoon.

“We were notified around 2 p.m. that Judge Lee Anderson had suddenly passed away,” said Judith Roberts, of Pierre, legal council with the South Dakota Unified Judicial System. “We don’t have any information on his death.

“Our hearts, prayers and thoughts go out to his family and friends in Mitchell.”

Details about his death were being withheld Monday. The Davison County Sheriff’s Department investigated the incident, but Sheriff David Miles declined any comment on the incident, saying he had been told by judicial authorities in Pierre to stay quiet.

Read it all here. (Registration required.) As you can read in the article, Judge Anderson has many admirers who speak very highly of him. While I don't know the man, this is certainly a tragic loss.

Comments

Anonymous said…
Tragic. He was a respected man.

I am disconcerted by what the Sheriff was told by judicial authorities. Being told to stay quiet by the judciary because the incident involved a judge is certainly something that should be addressed at a proper time.
Anonymous said…
JAIL for judges!
Anonymous said…
From the 1st Circuit Administrator......

The funeral for Judge Lee Anderson will be Thursday, September 21st at 10:30 a.m. at the First Lutheran Church in Mitchell. Visitation will be Wednesday, September 20th from 6:00-8:00 pm with the prayer service beginning at 7:00 pm. The address for First Lutheran Church is 411 N. Duff Street, which is actually the southeast corner of 5th and Sanborn Street. Take exit 332 into Mitchell, go north and take a left on Havens Street to Sanborn Street. Turn right on Sanborn Street to 5th Avenue.
Anonymous said…
The death of Anna Nicole Smith's son is all you hear about in the news. This is what I call real media bias and cover up. This man was a public servant and the public has the RIGHT to know WHY this man took his life. Where is the investigation?
Anonymous said…
"The public has the RIGHT to know WHY this man took his life"

Now, there's a pretty profound statement. In any suicide there is only one person who knows why the deceased took his or her own life and that is the deceased.

Let the dead bury the dead.

A good man died and the people of this state lost a good judge regardless of how he died.

It's amazing how, even in the wake of such a tragedy like this, people are so desirous of finding government scandal and coverup behind everything.

Wipe the froth off your mouths, let your blood pressure settle down and try saying a prayer that Judge Anderson's family find some peace.
Anonymous said…
I think this country is very sad a man has died and everyone just cares about how and why. It really doesn't matter he's gone focus on the family and friends. Not the details it never really makes you feel better anyway. So my prayers go out to the friends and family of this great man.

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