ALBANY -- A divided New York Commission on Judicial Conduct has agreed to merely reprimand an upstate town justice who dismissed a speeding ticket for a deployed soldier's wife, but another commissioner called it "a distorted vision of patriotism" and said the judge should be removed.
Eight commissioners agreed that Farmington Town Justice Morris H. Lew fixed Lori Gilmore's 2005 speeding ticket soon after he received an e-mail from Martin Gilmore in Iraq wondering what could be done. The men had been in the Army Reserves together.
Afterward, Lew sent Martin Gilmore an e-mail, which said in part: "The ticket has been dismissed. Please consider it a very small token of thanks for your efforts in uniform."
The commission majority said ticket-fixing was a widespread problem across the state in the 1970s before 140 judges were disciplined, and it was "egregious conduct" in this case that would normally warrant a judge's removal.
For more on this story, read Friday's edition of The Citizen.
Afterward, Lew sent Martin Gilmore an e-mail, which said in part: "The ticket has been dismissed. Please consider it a very small token of thanks for your efforts in uniform."
The commission majority said ticket-fixing was a widespread problem across the state in the 1970s before 140 judges were disciplined, and it was "egregious conduct" in this case that would normally warrant a judge's removal.
For more on this story, read Friday's edition of The Citizen.
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Post your comment - click hereThere are 7 comment(s)
Andy B wrote on Apr 11, 2008 7:56 AM:
Farmer's Gal wrote on Apr 11, 2008 7:52 AM:
Because the ticketed person has a relative in the service is NOT a good reason for dimsissing a ticket, but it's also not a flaming, horrible, flagrant violation of justice either.
The things judges (many/most of whom have no qualifications beyond being elected) have done in this state, as described in that NYT article, however, are appalling and scary for any ordinary person not hooked into their "Good Old Boy" system. "
tome8689 wrote on Apr 10, 2008 8:30 PM:
Farmer's Gal wrote on Apr 10, 2008 6:40 PM:
Been there, done that, though any time I have made mention of it here, The Citizen censors it -- even though it was a matter of public record.
Read the article -- seriously. FG "
karl L wrote on Apr 10, 2008 5:54 PM:
perturbed wrote on Apr 10, 2008 5:41 PM:
pamnewyork wrote on Apr 10, 2008 4:34 PM: