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Terri Pinto Napolitano, a court officer in Brooklyn, has been suspended for 30 days without pay for posting racist images on Facebook.
The post depicted former president, Barack Obama, being lynched. She also posted a picture of Hillary Clinton walking toward a noose, as if to be hanged. The captions read, “we will not yield … your day is coming traitor.” The sentence was punctuated, “It is not over until the fat lady swings.”
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Napolitano’s co-workers say that the posts are true to her character.
An unnamed coworker told NBCNewYork that Napolitano regularly harasses minority defendants in her courtroom. “She’s a disgrace to the many of us who respect the public and the integrity of our job and respect the criminal justice system and process.”
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Napolitano, who is a Sergeant, has been known to yell loudly at minority defendants but spoke in an entirely different manner to whites.
According to a report, neither the Chief Judge of the Courts, Janet DiFiore, nor the court officer’s union are standing with Napolitano.
“This conduct is abhorrent, by anyone, at any time, and under any circumstances,” DiFiore said, “But at this critical moment in our history — when our nation is reeling from the death of George Floyd and its aftermath — it is a sickening and unpardonable offense against every colleague in our court system as well as the vast and diverse public that we serve.”
The New York State Court Officers Association disavowed the posts on Facebook saying, “The New York State Court Officers Association does not condone the conduct of Sgt Napolitano and her racist Facebook posts. She does not speak for Court Officers.”
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According to the New York Post, Napolitano has been charged with misconduct, and conduct prejudicial to the good order and efficiency” of the state court system, “which reflects adversely upon your fitness to continue in your position as an NYS Court Officer — Sergeant.”
She can be disciplined or terminated if found guilty of any or all of the charges.
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