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(WTNH) – President Obama’s choice of Connecticut federal court Judge Robert Chatigny could run into trouble if his controversial involvement in the execution case of serial killer Michael Ross comes up.

Back in 2005, Chatigny had to remove himself from any involvement in the case, which was the first execution in Connecticut in nearly fifty years. State prosecutors and the Attorney General were seeking to have him removed following his intervention in a highly unusual telephone confrence. The telephone confrence resulted in the cancellation of Ross’ execution just moments before the lethal injection was to have been administered.

What Chatigny said to Ross’ attorney, T.R. Paulding, reverberated around legal circles in the state. In the transcript Judge Chatigny is quoted as saying; “We’re not in this profession to help people get killed. I’d be in his face saying, listen, you idiot, this litigation may very well result in the life sentence that you have repeatedly said you would take in a wink and you’re going to be dead Sunday. For what? Because you don’t want to cause people any pain? Figure it out, you idiot.”

Later in the transcript Chatigny says to Paulding; “You don’t know what you’re talking about and you’re an officer of this court and I see this happening and I can’t live with myself, which is why I’m on the phone right now, It’s wrong, what you’re doing is wrong.”

Paulding was assisting in Ross’ wishes to give up all appeals so that he could be executed. The verbal berating of Paulding was widely considered to be inappropriate. Ross was eventually executed after Chatigny removed himself from involvement in the case following threats of disciplinary action.