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Justice Alexander removed from all pending court cases in Pembroke by order of state

By Howard B. Owens

The state's commission on judicial conduct has ordered that all cases assigned to Town of Pembroke Justice Alexander be reassigned to Justice David O'Connor.

Alexander, the former justice for the Village of Corfu, was indicted yesterday on three misdemeanor crimes, including coercion and official misconduct.

An e-mail was sent to officials in Corfu and Pembroke today informing them of the order.

The e-mail reads:

For your information, kindly find the attached administrative order AO/201/2013 signed by the Hon. A. Gail Prudenti reassigning all judicial matters currently pending before the Hon. Robert E. Alexander, Town Justice, Pembroke Town Court, to the Hon. David M. O'Connor, Town Justice, Pembroke Town Court, effective immediately, and direct that no further judicial matters be assigned to Justice Alexander until further order of the Chief Administrative Judge.

Thank you.

Kate Breen
Court Analyst
Deputy Chief Administrative Judge's Office
for Courts Outside New York City

The Batavian has not yet obtained the attachment cited in the e-mail.

Alexander is the father of Brandi Watts, the former court clerk in Corfu who is accused of stealing more than $10,000 in court funds and filing false documents.  Alexander was charged with crimes related to his alleged attempts to disprove there were missing court funds.

O'Connor is a justice in the Town of Pembroke Court and the Village of Corfu Court.

UPDATE: The attachment, the actual order, is short and to the point:

Pursuant to the authority vested in me, I hereby reassign all judicial matters currently
pending before the Hon. Robert E. Alexander, Town Justice, Pembroke Town Court, to the Hon. David M, O’Connor, Town Justice, Pembroke Town Court, effective immediately, and direct that no further judicial matters be assigned to Justice Alexander until further order of the Chief Administrative Judge.

It's signed by Judge A. Gail Prudenti.

Kim Grant

Janet, you really don't know how something like this could happen? I don't know the judge or his daughter (although I did have to stand in front of the judge once for a seatbelt violation), but have you been more fortunate enough in life to never know the feeling of helplessness or despair when you couldn't pay a bill or afford something that was much needed and thought maybe you'd borrow from Peter to pay Paul? Or have a son or daughter that made a bad decision or choice in life but you were in a position to help? I think that most parents would try to help their child to an extent if they could. I'm not excusing anyone's behavior but putting a little thought behind it keeps me from throwing stones. Just saying...

Jul 18, 2013, 11:30pm Permalink
Al Graham

Janet you have no idea what these people have done over the last 3 plus years including our mayor. The whole real truth will probably never be known. I would have to write a book. It ranges from lying and filing false police complaints to bullying the girls in the office. The problem is the dozons of the things they did{Peterson as trustee then mayor] and Alexander were immoral and against the best interest of the village but not illegal. These two men led two lives. The one where they went to church and told people how wonderful they were and the one where they could sit down in a room and lye thru there teeth in front of 5 people that knew the real truth and not blink once. Even with the charges against the judge and his daughter the mayor is the worst of the three because he saw all the evidence he voted dozens of times against the board and the best interest of the people to move forward and he lied to people on fixed income to get there votes to put him over the top to win mayor.

Jul 18, 2013, 11:39pm Permalink
Al Graham

Kim tell that to the Village clerk that is now under a doctors care over this mess , tell it to the auditor that had vile nasty e-mails sent to her and her boss. Tell it to the former Mayor who was under a doctors care at the time. Tell it to the new court clerk that had to subject herself to daily beratings either in person or thru email. Tell it to a former trustee that had false charges lodged against him. The irony of the whole thing is it was the e-mails the came back to bite him.

Jul 18, 2013, 11:56pm Permalink
tom hunt

Absolute Power corrupts absolutely. Being an outside observer, it appears that the reins of power have brought forth all the negative aspects of Human Nature.

Jul 19, 2013, 4:37am Permalink
Kim Grant

Hey Al, I wasn't sticking up for anyone or making any excuses. Janet asked how it could have happened and I gave a sample reason. It could have been as Tom said also, corruption of power and greed. As an outside observer, I can only guess at reasons why.

Jul 19, 2013, 8:35am Permalink
Dave Olsen

This is one of those cases where I'd really like foremost to see this woman make restitution. I know all the "law and order" types on here want her to go to jail and all that. But whether she does or doesn't go to jail isn't my point, the matter of the money belonging to the taxpayers of Corfu which needs to be returned is.

Jul 19, 2013, 9:29am Permalink
Dave Olsen

It'll be pretty hard to make restitution if she's in jail. I think restitution in these types of situations should be paramount. She is responsible for her actions, period. And the taxpayers of Corfu shouldn't have to make this up. If they're required to take out a loan to make up for the loss to their budget plan, then she should pay the interest on it as well. That's my idea of justice.

Jul 19, 2013, 9:37am Permalink
Howard B. Owens

Legally, the village justice is obligated to pay back any missing funds. The trustees have been trying to obtain payment from Robert Alexander and are now looking at a lawsuit. Now that criminal charges have been filed, the village can file a claim on its insurance policy.

Not that Brandi Watts, if convicted, shouldn't make restitution, but if Alexander pays, she would owe that money to him, and if the insurance pays the claim, she would owe that money to the insurance company (if convicted).

Jul 19, 2013, 10:09am Permalink

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