Judge Harriet Thompson of the Brooklyn, New York Magistrate Court was accused of making serious homophobic and racist remarks in her courtroom. The official said that homosexuality is an "abomination" and that people with a Spanish name are "liars," among other insults to her peers and offensive comments.
Thompson was removed from court in December 2021 after the state's Inspector General of courts "substantiated" allegations of misconduct against her. However, the defendant claims that she is still fighting to get her job back because she is the victim of a "political coup.”
Insults in court
An affidavit from state Administrative Judge Lawrence Marks, seen by the New York Daily News notes in a 20-page filing that Thompson made comments such as, "I hate these gay white men. Being gay is an abomination to humanity. The Holy Spirit is after them.”
She accused her colleagues of getting a court position with sexual favors: "Women use their vaginas for everything they want. Many are jealous of me because I am smart, while they had to sleep with other people to get where they are." She called four other judges "racist faggots" who were "all fucking each other" and trying to ruin her and trap her. She further called a black female judge a "puppet of a white man."
She is also accused of saying that she assumed that a litigant was a liar if he had a Hispanic name. ”I don't like Hispanic people, they have a deceptive trait that goes back to biblical times. Whenever I have a case involving a litigant with a Hispanic-sounding name, I assume the litigant is a liar."
The outrageous comments included once saying that a gay judge was "fat for all the evil of what he's doing." When a female colleague was diagnosed with Alzheimer's, Thompson reportedly said she "got what she deserved." Also, she targeted western Indian people, white women and black women with strong insults. The documents say she made the comments "in court and in the presence of United Court System personnel."
Denies accusations
In April, the judge filed a petition for recall, alleging that it was a violation of the law and argued that the unjustly suspended without giving her the opportunity to defend herself: "I have the right to my day in court, the right of confrontation and the right to cross-examine." Something that the state's lawyers have contested.
Thompson denies all allegations, saying,"I categorically deny the allegations.... You know what? It's about integrity and character. That's all I have. Also, she alleged that a court employee, whom she had excluded from her cases for alleged misconduct, had made false accusations against her: "People lie, and people believe the lies."
In December 2021, Thompson's case was referred to the New York Commission on Judicial Conduct (CJC), the body charged with investigating allegations of misconduct against judges and making disciplinary recommendations upon completion of their investigations.
CJC investigations are confidential and can last at least two years. Because of the length of time, according to court documents, it was determined that it would not be appropriate for Thompson to continue to serve while the investigation was ongoing. "Our position is clearly stated in our filings. Any further comments will be made in court," said court spokesman Lucian Chalfen.
Thompson's lawyer, Matthew Berman, told The New York Post,"The judge denies and will deny all allegations asserted against her."
