A New York judge who was accused of uttering heinous anti-gay and racist statements has agreed to resign. She says she injured her shoulder and is unable to defend herself against the accusations.
According to the state Commission on Judicial Conduct, Brooklyn Surrogate’s Court Judge Harriet Thompson, who was accused of making “inappropriate” and prejudiced remarks to coworkers, decided to resign on March 1 and never again run for office as a judge on Friday (CJC).
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In addition to being accused of calling four other judges “gay racist f—-ts” who were “all f-king each other,” Thompson was also charged with calling homosexuality an “abomination,” asserting that Hispanic people have “deceitful traits,” and calling homosexuality an “abomination.”
In December 2021, following the inspector general for the state courts’ “substantiated” misconduct allegations against Thompson—a Surrogate Court judge since 2019 who formerly presided over civil court cases—the Office of Court Administration suspended her.
Thompson was then accused of prejudice and offensive remarks by the CJC in May 2022.
The CJC records indicate that the prosecution also involved allegations that she failed to finish obligatory campaign ethics education on time and that this resulted in significant delays.
On January 17, Thompson was scheduled to appear before the CJC formally, but instead, she submitted her letter of resignation. She will be able to maintain her pension from the judiciary.
According to CJC records, Thompson gave the commission a doctor’s statement in November stating that she is “not medically able to stand trial” because of a handicap and would probably need more medical treatments.
Afterward, on December 16, the commission filed a new complaint charging Thompson with being medically unfit for office.
According to Thompson’s attorney Andrew Fisher, she needs surgery for a shoulder injury, and she also takes medicine for the discomfort she has, which would make it difficult for her to take part in the prosecution’s case.
The attorney argued that Thompson would have contested the CJC accusations even if she hadn’t been hurt.
Fisher stated that Judge Thompson would have forcefully defended herself “Had Judge Thompson did not develop some disabling illness, she would have vigorously defended herself, but found that it was an impossible thing to do at this point.” He added, “It should be noted that there are no findings of wrongdoing that have been entered against her.”
“She leaves, hopefully, with her reputation intact,” the lawyer remarked.
The evidence against Thompson, according to CJC Administrator Robert Tembeckjian, “was egregious and, if established at trial, would have warranted her removal from office.”
“She now claims a medical condition prevents her from performing judicial duties, which opens a different path in furtherance of the public interest for her immediate and permanent departure from the bench,” Tembeckjian noted.
Additionally, Thompson has decided to forgo any legal action against the CJC.
