Judge removed from bench for pulling loaded gun on defendant in court.
Judge Removed from Bench for Pulling Loaded Gun on Defendant in Court
A judge in a small town in upstate New York has been kicked off the bench following a shocking incident in 2015. During the incident, the judge pulled out a loaded gun on a defendant whom he claimed was threatening him.
Robert J. Putorti had been serving as the judge in Whitehall Town and Village Court since 2014. Located about 80 miles north of Albany, Whitehall is a small community.
The decision by the state Court of Appeals on Thursday revealed that Putorti, who is white, alleged that he had been threatened by a “big black man.”
The Court of Appeals ruling stated that Putorti “exploited a classic and common racist trope that Black men are inherently threatening or dangerous, exhibiting bias or, at least, implicit bias.”
“It is indefensible and inimical to the role of a judge to brandish a loaded weapon in court, without provocation or justification, then brag about it repeatedly with irrelevant racial remarks,” said Robert H. Tembeckjian, administrator for the state’s Commission on Judicial Conduct.
Tembeckjian added, “The Court’s ruling today makes clear that there is no place on the bench for one who behaves this way.”
The incident was described as “a very singular act of misconduct” by Tembeckjian.
The judge’s suspension in October 2022 was followed by the appellate court’s review.
On Friday, the state Court of Appeals determined Judge Robert J. Putorti Jr. is immediately suspended from office as the Whitehall town and village courts justice while they review the appeal of his removal from office. https://t.co/0ANjeSnkDo
— The Post-Star (@poststar) October 27, 2022
The court’s ruling revealed that Putorti, who had a license to carry the gun, had attached it to the underside of his desk using a magnet during court proceedings.
According to the decision, Putorti admitted that his account of the events would not be supported by a police officer or an assistant district attorney who were present in the courtroom at the time.
The decision also mentioned that Putorti had shown another judge an article about his actions, giving her the impression that he was bragging about his actions and taking pride in being featured in the article.
The Commission on Judicial Conduct, which advocated for Putorti’s removal, stated in its sanction memorandum that he had described the defendant in different ways, including as an “agitated” and “big black man” who was over 6 feet tall and built like a football player. However, the commission revealed that the defendant was actually 6 feet tall and weighed 165 pounds.
Putorti had been reelected in 2021, running unopposed, according to Washington County’s election results.
The court also noted that Putorti had demonstrated his “unfitness for office” by helping the local Elks Lodge raise money in 2021, an activity that judges are prohibited from engaging in.
Do you agree his firing was justified?
The court’s decision highlighted the judge’s inappropriate behavior and disregard for his role. It is clear that his actions were unacceptable and he has been rightfully removed from the bench.
For more details, you can read the Putorti Decision on Scribd.
The post Judge Booted from Bench for Bizarrely Pulling Loaded Gun on Defendant in Court appeared first on The Western Journal.
How did the judge’s actions exhibit racial bias, according to the state Court of Appeals?
Judge Removed from Bench for Pulling Loaded Gun on Defendant in Court
A judge in a small town in upstate New York has been removed from the bench in light of a shocking incident that occurred in 2015. During this incident, the judge pulled out a loaded gun on a defendant, whom he claimed was threatening him.
Robert J. Putorti had been serving as the judge in Whitehall Town and Village Court since 2014. Whitehall, located approximately 80 miles north of Albany, is a small community.
According to the decision made by the state Court of Appeals on Thursday, Putorti alleged that he had been threatened by a “big black man.” The court ruling stated that Putorti “exploited a classic and common racist trope that Black men are inherently threatening or dangerous, exhibiting bias or, at least, implicit bias.”
“It is indefensible and inimical to the role of a judge to brandish a loaded weapon in court, without provocation or justification, then brag about it repeatedly with irrelevant racial remarks,” said Robert H. Tembeckjian, administrator for the state’s Commission on Judicial Conduct. He added, “The Court’s ruling today makes clear that there is no place on the bench for one who behaves this way.”
Tembeckjian described the incident as “a very singular act of misconduct.”
Putorti’s suspension in October 2022 was followed by the appellate court’s review.
The court ruling revealed that Putorti, who had a license to carry the gun, had attached it to the underside of his desk using a magnet during court proceedings.
According to the decision, Putorti admitted that his account of the events would not be supported by a police officer or an assistant district attorney who were present in the courtroom at the time.
The decision also mentioned that Putorti had shown another judge an article about his actions, giving her the impression that he was bragging about his actions and taking pride in being featured in the article.
The Commission on Judicial Conduct, which advocated for Putorti’s removal, stated in its sanction memorandum that he had described the defendant in different ways, including as an “agitated” and “big black man” who was over 6 feet tall and built like a football player. However, the commission revealed that the defendant was actually 6 feet tall and weighed 165 pounds.
Putorti had been reelected in 2021, running unopposed, according to the Washington County website.
This incident and subsequent removal from the bench highlight the need for judges to uphold their role with integrity and impartiality. Judges serve as arbiters of justice, and it is crucial that they do not let personal biases cloud their judgment or resort to threats and intimidation. The swift action taken by the state Court of Appeals in response to this incident sends a clear message that such behavior is completely unacceptable and has no place within the justice system.
It is the responsibility of judicial bodies and legal institutions to hold judges accountable for their actions and ensure that they adhere to the highest standards of professionalism and fairness. It is through these measures that public trust in the judiciary can be maintained, and the integrity of the justice system preserved.
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