Reports indicate that judges involved in a controversial incident, where firearms were displayed during a court hearing, have faced demotion, pay reductions, and are now prohibited from carrying guns into court.
Brooklyn Supreme Court Judge Jeffrey Gershney, who drew attention for brandishing a gun at an August 5 hearing, will now only handle misdemeanor cases in criminal court. This change means his salary will drop by about $17,000. Typically, Supreme Court judges presiding over felony cases earn $232,600, while those in Criminal Court make $216,400.
A representative from the Court Administration Office, responsible for overseeing state judges, refrained from commenting on Gershney’s demotion, his salary, or the issue of judges bringing weapons into the courtroom.
Over the weekend, Gershney and others were criticized for their questionable decisions, including a July 15 ruling that allowed a 19-year-old charged with attempting to murder a teenager and facing firearm charges to retain his youthful offender status.
Gershney, who graduated from Hofstra University and previously served as a city attorney, has been the subject of at least one complaint to the state’s commission on judicial conduct. This complaint included allegations that he displayed personal bias against police officers, highlighted by instances where he dismissed weapons as evidence in felony gun cases.
The outcome and timing of the complaint remain unclear. Recently, Gershney also provoked dissatisfaction during a gun-burning event, asserting the need for a police officer to establish a suspect’s knowledge of a concealed weapon, which led to an impromptu court demonstration of his own firearm.
The Office of Court Administration indicated they were reviewing the incident involving the judge’s gun, as suggested by the official case transcript, but they supported Gershney’s actions.
A representative from the State Commission on Judicial Conduct noted on Thursday that they do not confirm or deny investigations into specific judges and will only comment on cases if there’s a finding of misconduct.
No previous actions against Gershney are recorded in the committee’s files.
A law enforcement source remarked, “There are many happy people in Brooklyn right now,” referring to Gershney’s new role focusing solely on misdemeanor cases. “He wasn’t well-liked.”
