A town justice in Wayne County, New York, has resigned after he was accused of making public statements criticizing the state's criminal justice system and implying that he ignored the presumption of innocence for defendants that appeared before him.

Scott Stone, who was a justice of Butler Town Court and Wolcott Village Court in western New York, was accused by the state Commission on Judicial Conduct of making those statements at a Wolcott Village Board meeting.

Public concerns regarding crime were discussed at the meeting, which was attended by Stone, the mayor and a handful of other local officials. Stone allegedly criticized the state's criminal justice system, including the role he played in it.

“To start with, the whole system, quite frankly, sucks,” Stone said, according to the commission.

He went as far in his statements as to show a lack of faith in those brought up on criminal charges, saying at one point that he thought they should “swing,” according to the complaint against him from the commission.

“Most of these individuals, if I had my way, you'd see them probably swinging outside the door, OK?” Stone said. “That's the way I was brought up.”

He made a handful of other statements as well, in which he criticized the state's laws on prosecuting minors, and even the work of lawyers to advocate for changes in the criminal procedure law.

“But thanks to lawyers, everybody has rights,” Stone said.

Stone, who is not an attorney, resigned from office at the end of last month as part of an agreement with the commission. He agreed not to seek judicial office again in the future.

Commission Administrator Robert Tembeckjian denounced Stone's comments in a statement Tuesday.

“On or off the bench, a judge must promote public confidence in the rule of law and the integrity of the judiciary,” Tembeckjian said. “Public remarks to the effect that the legal system 'sucks,' or that defendants should 'swing,' convey contempt for due process and evoke an ugly example of cruel injustice that has no place in modern society.”

Stone was represented before the commission by Douglas Jablonski, an attorney from Wolcott. Jablonski could not immediately be reached for comment Tuesday.

READ MORE:

Robert Tembeckjian Decries 'Dark and Pessimistic State of Affairs'

NY Magistrates Association Calls Report on Plight of Poor Defendants Flawed

NY Lawmakers Approve Funding Increase for State Courts, Judicial Conduct Watchdog