NJ Judge Says He Isn't Resigning Due to Ethics Complaint, Lawsuit
A beleaguered New Jersey judge has resigned, amid allegations that he twice came to court under the influence of alcohol and issued a search warrant in a case that should not have been in his court.
Judge Richard Sasso said his resignation was because of health problems, including spinal injuries from an auto accident, the New Jersey Law Journal reports.
Lawyer Michele D’Onofrio has filed an ethics complaint against Sasso, according to a lawsuit against her firm that claims she got fired for her claims against the politically connected judge. The complaint claims Sasso abused his power and appeared inebriated in court on two occasions, once in 2006 and again in 2007, the story says.
D’Onofrio had also claimed Sasso issued a search and arrest warrant against Lawrence Ray in a domestic matter that should have been in another court, the Law Journal article says. Ray filed suit against Sasso, alleging the search violated his civil rights. But a judge dismissed Ray’s suit against Sasso earlier this month on the ground of judicial immunity, the New Jersey Star-Ledger reported in a Jan. 15 story.
D’Onofrio’s views are “certainly different than mine,” Sasso told the New Jersey Star-Ledger. He said her claims did not influence his decision to leave. “Contrary to the baseless comments of Ms. D’Onofrio, people were treated equally,” he said.
D’Onofrio’s former firm—DiFrancesco, Bateman, Coley, Yospin, Kunzman, Davis & Lehrer—has asked a judge to seal depositions in the lawsuit against it.
