By Alicia Cruz
The Black Urban Times
The pornographic images found on the computer of a disgraced former Manhattan Criminal Court judge appear to be those of underage girls, multiple law-enforcement sources told the New York Post.
"These appear to be from illegal sites, with illegal content," said one source, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"The girls definitely look underage," said a second law-enforcement source, who also asked to not be identified. "If she looks 14, is she really 14? Or is she 17, and so it's not illegal?"
Under New York law, it is illegal to possess pornographic images of a child under age 16. The million dollar question remains whether computer forensic investigators -- who are still "dumping" files from the ex-judge's hard drive -- can prove the photos of the nude girls in the porn images are actually underage, The NY Post reported.
Former Justice James Gibbons, 47, was on paternity leave when he resigned from the bench on Aug. 17 after court officials, performing routine monitoring of courthouse personnel, discovered the pornographic images on his work computer and turned the evidence over to the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
Gibbons, who could not be reached for comment on Thursday evening, did not state a reason for resignation in his letter, said David Bookstaver, a spokesman for the Office of Court Administration.
Mr. Bookstaver would not say whether there was an investigation into Judge Gibbons, but he said, “If we become aware of a possible criminal act, we refer such matters to the appropriate law enforcement authority.”
Erin M. Duggan, the communications director for the Manhattan district attorney’s office, declined to comment.
Gibbons, a 1987 graduate of Harvard Law School, spent 13 years in the Manhattan district attorney’s office before he was appointed to the bench in 2001 by Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani. News of the images found on his office computer came as a shock to many who knew the judge and described him as one of the most intelligent justices in the Manhattan Criminal Court.
One colleague said the 47-year-old had the air of a United States Supreme Court justice and could easily rattle off legal decisions.
Attorney Adam Freedman described Gibbons as a "very careful judge."
“If he was using his state-issued computer for illegal activities, it would be uncharacteristic, considering how careful he is on the law.”
Gibbons presided over several high-profile cases throughout his time on the bench, but one of his more memorable cases involved supermodel Naomi Campbell in 2006. He threatened to toss the temperamental Campbell in the pokey after she missed a court hearing on an assault charge.
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The Black Urban Times
The pornographic images found on the computer of a disgraced former Manhattan Criminal Court judge appear to be those of underage girls, multiple law-enforcement sources told the New York Post.
"These appear to be from illegal sites, with illegal content," said one source, speaking on condition of anonymity.
"The girls definitely look underage," said a second law-enforcement source, who also asked to not be identified. "If she looks 14, is she really 14? Or is she 17, and so it's not illegal?"
Under New York law, it is illegal to possess pornographic images of a child under age 16. The million dollar question remains whether computer forensic investigators -- who are still "dumping" files from the ex-judge's hard drive -- can prove the photos of the nude girls in the porn images are actually underage, The NY Post reported.
Former Justice James Gibbons, 47, was on paternity leave when he resigned from the bench on Aug. 17 after court officials, performing routine monitoring of courthouse personnel, discovered the pornographic images on his work computer and turned the evidence over to the Manhattan district attorney’s office.
Gibbons, who could not be reached for comment on Thursday evening, did not state a reason for resignation in his letter, said David Bookstaver, a spokesman for the Office of Court Administration.
Mr. Bookstaver would not say whether there was an investigation into Judge Gibbons, but he said, “If we become aware of a possible criminal act, we refer such matters to the appropriate law enforcement authority.”
Erin M. Duggan, the communications director for the Manhattan district attorney’s office, declined to comment.
Gibbons, a 1987 graduate of Harvard Law School, spent 13 years in the Manhattan district attorney’s office before he was appointed to the bench in 2001 by Mayor Rudolph W. Giuliani. News of the images found on his office computer came as a shock to many who knew the judge and described him as one of the most intelligent justices in the Manhattan Criminal Court.
One colleague said the 47-year-old had the air of a United States Supreme Court justice and could easily rattle off legal decisions.
Attorney Adam Freedman described Gibbons as a "very careful judge."
“If he was using his state-issued computer for illegal activities, it would be uncharacteristic, considering how careful he is on the law.”
Gibbons presided over several high-profile cases throughout his time on the bench, but one of his more memorable cases involved supermodel Naomi Campbell in 2006. He threatened to toss the temperamental Campbell in the pokey after she missed a court hearing on an assault charge.
Tweettwitter.com/thebutmsdotcom
facebook.com/theblackurbantimes
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