Judge Mark Grisanti, an acting State Supreme Court justice in Buffalo, who gained notoriety after being seen on video shoving a police officer during a brawl with neighbors, will no longer serve on the bench. Grisanti had been serving as a “holdover” since his term on the Court of Claims expired last year, awaiting reappointment. However, his name was not included in Gov. Kathy Hochul’s list of 25 judicial nominees, and he was not reappointed.
Grisanti’s removal from the bench comes after the New York Commission on Judicial Conduct voted in April to censure him. While they declined the administrator’s recommendation to remove him from office, they found that Grisanti displayed “especially poor judgment” for his actions during the altercation in June 2020. The commission also criticized Grisanti for participating in legal cases involving an attorney who had made payments to him as part of a business deal.
Despite the censure, Grisanti’s attorney, Terrence Connors, maintains that he has been an exemplary judge. Connors stated that lawyers and judges who are familiar with Grisanti’s work support his continuation on the bench. He also highlighted that even the state Commission on Judicial Conduct, after conducting a thorough investigation, concluded that two hours of misconduct did not warrant removal from his position.
The incident that led to Grisanti’s censure occurred during a dispute with his neighbors over parking. In a video of the altercation, the shirtless judge can be heard using expletives and telling officers that Mayor Byron Brown is a friend, and he has relatives on the police force. At one point, Grisanti shoves a police officer who is attempting to handcuff his wife, threatening him by saying, “you’re going to be sorry.” Grisanti himself was then handcuffed and placed in a police car but was not charged with any crime.
Grisanti was initially appointed to the court in 2015 and had been serving as an acting State Supreme Court justice in Buffalo. However, with his term on the Court of Claims expired and no reappointment in sight, a new judge will soon take his place. Grisanti will remain in his position until the new judge begins their term.
In conclusion, Judge Mark Grisanti’s removal from the bench raises questions about the standards expected from judges and the consequences they face for their actions. While some argue that Grisanti’s brief misconduct does not warrant removal from his position, others believe that his actions displayed poor judgment and compromised his integrity as a judge. The decision to replace him highlights the importance of maintaining public trust in the judiciary and ensuring that judges uphold the highest ethical standards.
