YNOT – A respected Manhattan criminal court jurist whom colleagues described as “professional” and “careful on the law” resigned Thursday amid allegations he viewed pornography on his work computer.James Gibbons, who was appointed to the bench in December 2001 by departing Mayor Rudy Giuliani, has not been charged in connection with any of the images discovered on his computer during a routine courthouse system usage check. The Manhattan District Attorney’s office seized the computer and is examining the images to determine whether all the women depicted are of legal age.
“There was a lot of porn on his computer — all young women,” an investigator told New York’s Daily News. “Lots of crotch and cleavage shots.”
Lawyer Adam Freedman told the Daily News, “He was a very careful judge on the law. If he was using his state-issued computer for illegal activities, it would be uncharacteristic, considering how careful he is on the law.”
Gibbons, 47, was away on paternity leave at the time the porn was discovered, having recently fathered an out-of-wedlock son with a Legal Aid attorney. The affair raised ethical concerns when it became public.
However, a source close to the investigation told the Daily News, “There is absolutely no link between the judge’s relationship with [the 31-year-old Legal Aid attorney] and any alleged criminal activity.”
Prior to being appointed to the bench, Gibbons worked in the Manhattan DA’s office for 14 years, gaining a reputation as an energetic, efficient prosecutor of rape and murder cases.
