HOUSTON (AP) — A judge in Houston who called detention officials “back woods hillbillies” in a failed attempt to get a friend’s daughter freed has been reprimanded.

The State Commission on Judicial Conduct issued a public reprimand of Justice Jim Sharp Jr. of the 1st Court of Appeals in Harris County. Sharp apologized in February and repeated his apology Wednesday.

The Aug. 30 reprimand says Sharp sought special treatment for a friend’s 15-year-old daughter.

The girl was arrested Jan. 17 in Brazoria County for allegedly shoplifting. County policy requires a detained juvenile to spend the night in custody and go before a judge the next morning.

The commission found Sharp told a detention official that “You guys are a bunch of back woods hillbillies that use screwed up methods in dealing with children.”

(© Copyright 2012 The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.)