Weinberg Calls for Removal of Monmouth & Middlesex County Judges

Trenton – Senate Majority Leader Senator Loretta Weinberg issued the following statement in response to the recent New York Times article, Teenager Accused of Rape Deserves Leniency Because He’s From a ‘Good Family,’ Judge Says:

“I am glad to see that Judge James Troiano and Judge Marcia Silva were rebuked by the appeals courts, but this is not nearly enough.

“Their conduct is unacceptable. There is no place for this parochial, dismissive and sexist behavior in our justice system.

“A 16-year-old girl was raped on film which was then shared around the school, and Troiano was more concerned with the effect this would have on the perpetrator’s prospects as a good student from a good family with a good future, than he was for the victim, her experience and her pain.

“A 12-year-old was raped and Silva was unconvinced of any physical, mental or emotional injuries, apart from the loss of her virginity.

“These comments are appalling and having two cases like this is cause for grave concern in the state of New Jersey. The judicial branch should take immediate disciplinary action.

“First, both judges should be removed immediately from their seats; there is no space for judges of this character. Second, we should take additional corrective measures and require comprehensive training to manage cases of sexual assault for all judges. This would be similar to supplemental training we already require for judges and judicial personnel involved in processing domestic violence complaints.

“Privilege, bias, prejudice and bigotry permeate throughout our society, including the justice system. We cannot expect to eradicate it in its entirety, but any example of it displayed by the people in charge of issuing justice in our state should be intolerable.

“Judge Troiano and Judge Silva should never again be given the privilege of presiding over a New Jersey court, that is clear. But we should also use these examples of alarming behavior in a way that curtails this conduct in the future.”