Photo: Ballotpedia
A Republican judge in New York faces possible removal from the bench after video showed her threatening to shoot four Black teenagers, per CBS News.
Erin P. Gall, a Republican judge from the State Supreme Court in Oneida County, went on a tirade against the Black teens at a graduation party in July 2022. Gail was invited to the party and attended with her husband and three children. Four Black teenagers allegedly arrived at the party uninvited after learning about the event on a live video feed.
An altercation ensued at the party involving Gall's 18-year-old son. It's unclear whether the four teens were involved in the incident, but Gall claimed she saw her son get attacked by unknown individuals and slapped in the head.
Body camera footage shows the teens looking for lost car keys as Gall yelled at them to leave the party.
"That’s how I roll. That’s how Mrs. G rolls. That’s how Judge Gall rolls. We’re clearing this place out," she says.
Gall urged responding officers to arrest the teens while repeatedly mentioning that she was a judge. She also claimed the teens didn't “look like they're that smart. They're not going to business school, that's for sure.”
Gall went on to threaten to shoot the teenagers as they were still trying to find their car keys.
“If they come back looking for it, I’ll call you while they’re on the property,” Gall said. “If they did, they’ll be arrested, or they’ll be shot on the property. Because when they trespass, you can shoot them on the property. I’ll shoot them on the property.”
When a responding officer expressed concern about possibly facing a lawsuit for arresting the teens without good reason, Gall assured them that they had her support.
“Listen, but guess what, the good part is - the good part is I'm always on your side,” Gall said. “You know I'd take anyone down for you guys. You know that. You know that. You know I am on your side.”
New York State Commission on Judicial Conduct recommended that Gall be removed as a judge, citing the incident.
“She engaged in a loud, public, prolonged and profanity-laced confrontation with responding police officers and others at the scene during which she repeatedly invoked her judicial office, made comments that cast doubt on her ability to be impartial as a judge."
The commission added that Gall's statements created an “appearance of racial bias.”
According to CBS, Gall's attorney is planning to appeal the ruling. The New York State Court of Appeals will ultimately decide if Gall will be removed from the bench.
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