Justice Gerald Phillip "Gerry" Garson | |
|---|---|
| New York Supreme Court Justice | |
| In office 1998–2003 | |
| Personal details | |
| Born | August 3, 1932[1] |
| Died | February 6, 2016 (age 83) |
| Political party | Democratic Party |
| Spouse(s) | Judge Robin Garson, New York State Supreme Court, Kings County |
| Relations | Justice Michael J. Garson, New York State Supreme Court (cousin)[2] |
| Children | Four |
| Residence(s) | Upper East Side, New York, New York[3][4] |
| Alma mater | |
| Profession | Former attorney and judge |
| Military service | |
| Branch/service | U.S. Air Force |
| Known for: convicted of accepting bribes to manipulate the outcome of divorce proceedings | |
Gerald Phillip Garson (August 3, 1932 — February 6, 2016) was an American lawyer and New York Supreme Court Justice who heard matrimonial divorce and child custody cases in Brooklyn.[5] He was convicted in 2007 of accepting bribes to manipulate the outcomes of divorce proceedings.[1][6][7] Garson was imprisoned from June 2007 until December 2009.[8]
In the bribery scheme, a "fixer" told people divorcing in Brooklyn that for a price he could steer their case to a sympathetic judge.[9] After the fixer received a payment, he would refer the person to a lawyer contact of his, who had given Garson drinks, meals, cigars, and cash—accepting (and receiving) preferential treatment in return.[9][10] The fixer and the lawyer, Paul Siminovsky (a lawyer for children appointed by Garson), would then bribe court employees to override the court's computer system, which was programmed to ensure that cases were assigned to judges randomly. Instead, they would have the case assigned to Garson.[9][11] Garson, in turn, would then privately coach the lawyer. He would tell him questions the lawyer should ask of witnesses in the case before Garson, and arguments that the lawyer should make to Garson in court.[12][13] Garson would then rule in favor of the lawyer.[12][13]
Garson was indicted in 2003, on the basis of video surveillance of his judicial chambers, and recordings made on a body wire worn by his "favored" lawyer. At his four-week trial in 2007, he was acquitted on four counts, but found guilty on one count of accepting bribes, and on two lesser charges of receiving rewards for official misconduct.[6] He was sentenced in June 2007 to three to ten years in prison. In December 2009, after 30 months in prison, he was released for good behavior at the age of 77.[14]
The New York Times, commenting on Garson's conviction, observed: "It was news that confirmed every sneaking suspicion, every paranoid fantasy of anyone who had ever felt wronged in a divorce court."[15]
- ^ a b "Parole Board Calendar". New York State Division of Parole. August 2009. Archived from the original on March 9, 2012. Retrieved July 22, 2010.
- ^ Newman, Andy, "State Judge Ordered to Repay $163,000 to Elderly Aunt's Accounts" Archived October 28, 2018, at the Wayback Machine, The New York Times, December 30, 2003, July 23, 2010
- ^ Newman, Andy (April 24, 2003). "Brooklyn Judge Faces Charges of Corruption". The New York Times. Archived from the original on November 21, 2018. Retrieved July 22, 2010.
- ^ Robbins, Tom, "Brooklyn Dems Celebrate as Scandal Mounts; For Judges, It's One-Stop Shopping" Archived August 21, 2006, at the Wayback Machine, The Village Voice, May 7–13, 2003, July 20, 2010
- ^ Brick, Michael, "Judge is Called Robed Robber or Just the Victim of a Setup" Archived August 3, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, The New York Times, April 18, 2007. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
- ^ a b Brick, Michael, "Former Judge is Convicted of Bribery in Divorce Court" Archived March 12, 2017, at the Wayback Machine, The New York Times, April 20, 2007. Retrieved July 20, 2007.
- ^ Newman, Andy (July 5, 2003). "Politics Laid Bare–Success and Scandal in Family of Judges". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved July 22, 2010.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
autogenerated3was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ a b c Newman, Andy, "Court Officer Convicted in Brooklyn Bribery Case", The New York Times, September 21, 2004, July 20, 2010
- ^ "People vs. Garson, No. 28". New York Court of Appeals. 2006. Archived from the original on August 23, 2011. Retrieved July 24, 2010.
- ^ Tim McLoughlin, Thomas Adcock (2008). Brooklyn Noir 3: Nothing But the Truth. Akashic Books. p. [page needed]. ISBN 978-1-933354-14-9.
- ^ a b Medina, Jennifer (August 31, 2004). "On Tape, Assurances that a Judge Would Help". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2010.
- ^ a b Newman, Andy (August 30, 2003). "Arrest of Judge May Reopen Divorce Cases". The New York Times. Archived from the original on March 9, 2014. Retrieved July 23, 2010.
- ^ Cite error: The named reference
nydailynews1was invoked but never defined (see the help page). - ^ Eaton, Leslie, "Aggrieved Parties in Divorce Court Get No Relief in Scandal" Archived March 20, 2022, at the Wayback Machine, The New York Times, October 12, 2004. Retrieved July 20, 2010.
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