Anne Marie Bonpert Appears in Court for Lawsuit

Anne Marie Bonpert, notorious for sending numerous offensive emails and threats, faced a court hearing recently regarding a $40 million lawsuit filed by the West Village lesbian bar Henrietta Hudson and Cuby Hall. The situation was somewhat puzzling; despite the gravity of the claims against her, the court’s treatment felt quite lenient. The presiding judge referred to her as “very intelligent,” which was a bit of an odd juxtaposition to the chaotic behavior she displayed.

The hearing was set to start Wednesday, but Bonpert arrived an hour and a half late. The uncertainty surrounding her appearance was emphasized by her lawyer’s comments—that she hadn’t responded to his messages for weeks, raising questions about whether she would even show up.

Judge James Dow Ougerste emphasized that the hearing was not intended to punish Bonpert but rather to grasp the motivations behind her actions. This seemed necessary given the circumstances; despite her intelligence, her behavior didn’t align with it.

At least 70 emails sent by Bonpert violated a previous court order prohibiting her from contacting the plaintiff. The lawyer for the plaintiffs noted that her emails had been flagged as “spam” due to their volume.

When she finally entered the courtroom, Bonpert brought her mother along, making quite the scene. She had an encounter with Vic Smith, the manager of Cubbyhole, who is among those suing her. Their interaction was tense, culminating in Smith telling her, “Don’t touch me,” which prompted a noticeably chaotic moment in the courtroom.

Smith has obtained criminal orders against Bonpert over the past year and has recently filed another harassment complaint after receiving a barrage of emails, despite the existing civil court order against her.

Bonpert seemed to brush off the situation, making a comment about an old conflict with Smith that she claimed had been unresolved. However, the judge was unimpressed by her defiance. Instead, he expressed interest in understanding the reasoning behind her actions, saying, “It’s something that can put you in jail. So why, why? Because it’s not rational.”

Bonpert’s behavior in court also drew criticism from her lawyer, who suggested she wasn’t taking the matter seriously and questioned her fitness for an outpatient setting. However, it’s worth noting that she hasn’t been officially charged with a felony.

In a moment of erratic expression, Bonpert launched into a tirade, accusing others of conspiring against her while lamenting the destruction of her personal life. “They think I’m evil,” she said, as if puzzled by her situation.

She claimed that the attention she was receiving was proof that people actually loved her—a sentiment that seemed wildly disconnected from the reality of the courtroom scene.

The judge concluded with some pointed words, suggesting that had she refrained from sending those emails, she wouldn’t be in this predicament at all. It was clear that while Bonpert wants to portray a sense of control, her actions scream otherwise.