Embattled Jersey judge assigned to different county

Remember John Russo, Jr.? If the name doesn’t ring a bell, what if I said, remember the judge who asked a rape victim if she had tried to prevent the attack by keeping her legs closed?

According to the Asbury Park Press, the judge had been on paid administrative from Ocean County since May of 2017, receiving $165,000 per year until July, when the salary for all judges went up; he was bumped to $173,000. Russo has disciplinary charges against him that he is fighting. He has also filed suit alleging he was a victim of workplace discrimination. Along with the rape victim question, Russo is accused of throwing a file at a law clerk (and hitting her), and fits of courtroom rage, improper courtroom demeanor or reasonable judicial competence, and extreme emotional immaturity.

He had been barred from the Ocean County Courthouse after refusing to submit to a mental health evaluation. In ordering the judge back to work, Supreme Court Chief Justice Stuart Rabner transferred Russo from Ocean County to Burlington County Superior Court. The charges are still pending.

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