New York Chief Judge Rowan Wilson has acknowledged that he should not have encouraged voters to remove judges who favor lengthy prison sentences, admitting his remarks at a CUNY Law School forum were misspoken.
Wilson's concession came in a letter to the state Commission on Judicial Conduct, which ultimately dismissed a complaint filed against him by Republican state lawmakers. The lawmakers contended that Wilson crossed an ethical line in March when he stated that voting out judges who believe in "stupid" long sentences was "something you can do for me."
In his letter, Wilson stated, "I wish I had been clearer." He explained that his comments were a reaction to hearing an unnamed judge refer to a defendant as an "animal" before imposing a life sentence. Wilson expressed "extreme disgust at the comparison of human beings to caged animals."
He further clarified that voters do possess the ability to become informed and express their preferences through the electoral process. Judges are bound by strict rules regarding political statements.
The Commission on Judicial Conduct did not take issue with Wilson's other remarks at the same forum, where he advocated for the passage of the Second Look Act. This proposed legislation would allow individuals convicted of felonies to request a new sentencing hearing after 10 years.
State Sen. Anthony Palumbo, a former prosecutor, stated he was "glad" Wilson addressed his comments, even though no penalty was imposed. Palumbo added, "It’s unfortunate that those comments were made in the first place."
Assemblyman Michael Tannousis, who was among the lawmakers filing the complaint, questioned whether a "deferential standard was applied here that would not have been applied to judges with an alternative point of view."
Prior to his elevation to chief judge, Wilson authored a dissenting opinion in a case involving Happy the elephant, arguing that the elephant should have the right to petition for freedom from the Bronx Zoo through habeas corpus. Wilson posited that recognizing Happy's right to liberty reflected the society's values.
As chief judge of New York's Unified Court System since 2022, Wilson has presided over significant cases, including the overturning of Harvey Weinstein's initial sex-crimes conviction in Manhattan.