HollyMatkinRochester, NY – Within a week of a Suffolk County judge being immediately suspended without pay for stealing his former intern’s underwear, a Rochester City Court judge who failed to report to work since July of 2017 will receive an $11,700 annual raise.
Rochester City Court Judge Leticia Astacio has retained her employment as a judge, despite being arrested for drunk driving on Feb. 16, 2016.
Her defiant antics, smug demeanor, and arrogant outbursts were commonplace during her multiple appearances in relation to violations of her sentence.
As a judge, Astacio has been banned from the courtroom and the secure area of the Hall of Justice since mid-July of 2017, WHEC reported.
Since that time, Supervising Judge Craig Doran had instructed her to work inside the law library on the Hall of Justice’s fifth floor.
According to Spectrum News, Doran said that Astacio was scheduled to review landlord-tenant matters, conduct legal research, and to perform office duties from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m.
Astacio then provided a doctor’s note, which excused her from having to report to work due to the negative impact her work conditions were having on her health.
According to WHEC, Doran sent Astacio a letter on Feb. 23, and directed her to come to work at the Hall of Justice at 9 a.m. on Feb 26.
Astacio failed to comply with Doran’s directive, but did come to the office on Feb. 27. She left after several hours, however, and never returned, Doran told Spectrum News.
She has continued to collect her $175,500 salary during her hiatus.
This week, city judges across New York State – including Astacio – will see their annual paychecks increase to $187,200, the Democrat & Chronicle reported.
Despite receiving a grossly undeserved pay hike, Astacio took to Facebook Live on Monday to complain about the media portraying her in an unfair light.
“Do you know how many judges got a raise?” Astacio said in the video. “It’s not like I went and petitioned for a raise. No. All the judges got raises.”
“Journalists have ethical codes,” she went on to preach. “They’re not supposed to just constantly be on top of somebody and, you know, constantly be talking about them.”
She also called out individuals who she said have threatened her, and argued that, as her employer, the city should better provide for her safety.
“They still have a duty and an obligation to ensure my safety,” Astacio said.
She also pondered what might occur if someone “attacked” her, and the city had failed to protect it’s judge.
“Ya’ll think you’re mad about your tax dollars paying me now…” she said.
Astacio went on to compare herself to a police officer, who she said had been on paid leave after he experienced post-traumatic stress disorder in the wake of an officer-involved shooting.
“He gets paid every month. Nobody cares,” she complained. “Are you serious?”
“Is it cuz I’m not a heterosexual white man?” Astacio asked. “What I make should be irrelevant.”
Meanwhile, Suffolk County District County Judge Robert Cicale was immediately removed from the bench, after he broke into the home of his 23-year-old former intern on Mar. 29, WNBC reported.
When the woman unexpectedly returned home, Cicale fled from the scene, but was apprehended a few blocks away.
“He was found to be in possession with soiled female undergarments that we believe were either proceeds of this burglary or a prior burglary,” Suffolk County Acting Police Commissioner Stuart Cameron told WNBC, following Cicale’s arrest on burglary charges.
He confessed to the crime, admitted he had entered the woman’s home on multiple occasions to steal her underwear, and wrote her a letter of apology, WABC reported.
On Monday, New York Chief Judge Janet DiFiore formally ordered that Cicale be suspended without pay, effective immediately.