The courthouse union manager who’s less than investigation in excess of allegations of racial discrimination was the moment accused of referring to three black judges as “monkeys,” The Write-up has realized.
The declare is contained in a 2017 suit versus Dennis Quirk — the longtime president of the New York Point out Court docket Officers Affiliation — and the point out courtroom process that was afterwards settled for $325,000, court documents display.
The federal civil legal rights go well with was submitted by a Manhattan court docket officer, Lt. Angela Shirlaw, who alleged she was unfairly denied quite a few promotions between 2010 and 2015.
Shirlaw claimed that as section of a thriving 2008 bid to be promoted to lieutenant, she submitted “two or 3 recommendations from sitting judges she experienced labored with in help of her software.”
Quirk, who experienced allegedly planned to fill all the open lieutenants’ careers with adult men, afterwards informed Shirlaw that submitting the suggestions “f–king ruined everything” and instructed her “that she experienced improved ‘keep [her] mouth shut’ and to not discuss to any judges,” the go well with reported.
“He then spoke in a derogatory fashion about the woman judges who had presented Lt. Shirlaw with recommendations, each individual of whom is an African-American woman,” in accordance to the accommodate.
“Officer Quirk described the judges to Lt. Shirlaw as ‘three monkeys’ and explained that they necessary to ‘shut their f–king mouths,’ also.”
None of the judges had been determined by title in the Manhattan federal courtroom submitting.
Previous week, The Post completely disclosed that condition Main Choose Janet DiFiore purchased a probe into allegations by three black Brooklyn court docket officers that Quirk was a “safe haven for racist speech and actions” and that officers “who have spoken out regarding racial inequality and brutality have been retaliated in opposition to.”
Quirk, who has denied the allegations by the Brooklyn court officers, also denied the declare that he referred to black judges as “monkeys.”
“I by no means stated that remark,” he told The Article.
“I may possibly have named a choose an a–hole, unquestionably, but not a monkey.”
Quirk, who is white, also pointed to a 1994 incident in which he cursed at then-Manhattan Housing Court docket Judge Margaret Taylor in excess of allegations she’d referred to black courtroom officers as “gorillas.”
“I instructed her to go f–k herself,” he reported.
Quirk was suspended for 9 weeks and afterwards apologized to Taylor, The Publish described in 1995.
A single of the black courtroom officers included in that controversy, Gene Saunders, claimed that Quirk “represented me on several instances, during my career.”
“Based on my marriage with him, I never imagine he’s a racist,” claimed Saunders, who retired past yr.
In the 2018 settlement agreement, Quirk and the state Business of Courtroom Administration just about every agreed to pay back Shirlaw $162,500 on the provision that it shouldn’t “be interpreted to be an acknowledgment of the validity of any of the allegations or claims that have been made.”
Quirk signed the offer on behalf of both himself and the NYSCOA, which he’s led for the earlier 46 several years, and he was represented in the situation by the union’s lawyer, Bruce Baron.
He said the settlement and Baron’s charges ended up protected by the union’s insurance plan.
An OCA spokesman did not return a ask for for comment.
