A New York state judge is facing removal from office after a judicial watchdog panel ruled that her behavior at a high school graduation party last year was inappropriate and racially biased.
State Supreme Court Justice Erin Gall, 53, allegedly threatened to shoot Black teenagers and used her judicial authority to try to get uninvited guests arrested during a profanity-laden rant.
According to the state Commission on Judicial Conduct, the incident occurred on July 1, 2022, at a friend’s house in New Hartford, New York.
Justice Gall attended the party with her family, and the situation escalated when a group of uninvited guests, including four Black teenagers, showed up.
Arguments and physical altercations ensued, prompting police intervention.
Judicial Misconduct
The commission’s report includes multiple police bodycam videos capturing Gall’s offensive remarks and actions.
Gall, a white Republican serving since 2012, invoked her status as a judge to try to have the teenagers arrested for trespassing and made racially insensitive comments.
“You can shoot them on the property. I’ll shoot them on the property,” Gall reportedly said.
The commission concluded that Gall’s actions created “at least the appearance that she harbored racial bias,” severely undermining public confidence in her integrity and impartiality.
Her conduct was deemed to have “permeated with impropriety,” leading the panel to recommend her removal from office.
Legal Proceedings
Gall, who earns an annual salary of $232,600, is currently suspended with pay while New York’s highest court, the Court of Appeals, reviews the commission’s recommendation.
Her attorney, Robert Julian, stated that Gall will appeal the determination. Julian argued that Gall’s comments were influenced by a state of fear and exhaustion triggered by memories of a past assault.
Robert H. Tembeckjian, the commission’s administrator and counsel, described Gall’s behavior as “shocking” and unprecedented in his 40 years of judicial ethics enforcement.
The case underscores the importance of judicial conduct and the impact of personal biases on public trust in the judiciary.
The legal community and the public await the final decision on Justice Gall’s fate, highlighting ongoing concerns about racial bias and judicial misconduct within the legal system.
For further details, refer to the Commission on Judicial Conduct report.
