To: Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct, NJ Courts
Immediate Removal of Judge James Troiano
National Organization for Women of New Jersey has filed a complaint with the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct calling for the immediate removal of Judge James Troiano.
Why is this important?
As longtime champions of the rights of and justice for victims of sexual assault, we hope to ensure that the retired, but repeatedly recalled, Judge Troiano is never again allowed the opportunity to protect an alleged socially advantaged rapist from the consequences of his intentional and intimate harm to another, or to question the motives of the victim on the basis of the Judge's personal admiration for the perpetrator’s wealth, position, and assisted academic standing.
Judge Troiano, in a decision that is shocking in its misconceptions about rape, power and trauma, disregarded objective legal analysis and sought to protect the perpetrator from the severity of his actions, trivializing the perpetrator’s conduct, questioning the motives of the victim in reporting, and justifying it all with the observation that the perpetrator “came from a good family” and therefore should not be held to adult standards for the adult crime of rape. NOT ONCE AT ANY POINT DID THE JUDGE EXPRESS ANY CONCERN ABOUT THE DEVASTATING EFFECT THE RAPE HAD AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE ON THE VICTIM’S LIFE.
In having the courage to seek criminal charges against this predator, the victim likely saved other young women from the same treatment throughout the remainder of this perpetrator’s life. It has long been known that those who assault without consequence tend to do so repeatedly.
We are reassured by the Appellate Division’s strong language rebuking Judge Troiano’s treatment of the victim, the facts, and the law before him in this case. At the same time, we are mindful that the victim endured not just the rape and the aftermath, but the period during which it appeared that the perpetrator was more credible to and valued by New Jersey’s justice system than her fundamental right to privacy, to bodily integrity and to due process of law.
To deliver justice to the victim, we urge you to sign this petition to the Committee on Judicial Conduct to request that Judge Troiano be immediately removed from the bench.
Judge Troiano, in a decision that is shocking in its misconceptions about rape, power and trauma, disregarded objective legal analysis and sought to protect the perpetrator from the severity of his actions, trivializing the perpetrator’s conduct, questioning the motives of the victim in reporting, and justifying it all with the observation that the perpetrator “came from a good family” and therefore should not be held to adult standards for the adult crime of rape. NOT ONCE AT ANY POINT DID THE JUDGE EXPRESS ANY CONCERN ABOUT THE DEVASTATING EFFECT THE RAPE HAD AND WILL CONTINUE TO HAVE ON THE VICTIM’S LIFE.
In having the courage to seek criminal charges against this predator, the victim likely saved other young women from the same treatment throughout the remainder of this perpetrator’s life. It has long been known that those who assault without consequence tend to do so repeatedly.
We are reassured by the Appellate Division’s strong language rebuking Judge Troiano’s treatment of the victim, the facts, and the law before him in this case. At the same time, we are mindful that the victim endured not just the rape and the aftermath, but the period during which it appeared that the perpetrator was more credible to and valued by New Jersey’s justice system than her fundamental right to privacy, to bodily integrity and to due process of law.
To deliver justice to the victim, we urge you to sign this petition to the Committee on Judicial Conduct to request that Judge Troiano be immediately removed from the bench.