A former judge shot and killed himself when FBI agents arrived at his Orange County home to arrest him Tuesday, police sources tell CBS News New York.

A quiet condominium complex along Route 416 in Campbell Hall quickly turned into a chaotic scene. A big police response was seen at the Blackburne Homes complex, where Stewart Rosenwasser, a former county court judge, took his own life.

Rosenwasser, who resigned from the Orange County District Attorney’s Office in June, was accused in an indictment unsealed Tuesday of taking approximately $63,000 in bribes to leverage his position in the DA’s office to investigate two people.

    • unexposedhazard@discuss.tchncs.de
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      2 months ago

      If they prefer killing themselves over going to prison, it means that they know what kind of conditions to expect there and that they would rather die. Really telling when the people responsible for creating this system of modern slavery cant live with their own creation.

      • BobGnarley@lemm.ee
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        2 months ago

        My most downvoted comment on here is when a Judge got punched in the face I said something along the lines of “well, they send people away for the rest of their lives and then go play golf the same evening. Glad one actually realized there could be consequences for being a dick”

        I know its not a popular opinion but man I stand on it. Fuck them, they don’t give a fuck about any of the people they force into a lifetime of slavery for petty non violent offenses.

        • KinglyWeevil@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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          2 months ago

          I’ve had controversial opinions about judges, cops, prosecutors, and etc, who are involved in particular egregious violations of their duties, do not deserve due process. They’ve clearly demonstrated they don’t believe the system has value.

      • NoNotLikeThat@lemm.ee
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        2 months ago

        I’ll admit I didn’t read the article, but if $63k was the sum total of all bribes, and they chose to kill themselves rather than face punishment, then it’s really telling of the prison system.

        • ryathal
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          2 months ago

          It’s not just the prison system, a judge would likely get protective custody in a prison, which is almost solitary confident.

      • d00ery@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        I’d imagine he’s could be worried about bumping into people in prison that he’s had a hand in putting there!

        I can’t imagine judges are popular in prison, and corrupt judges are likely to be extra reviled.

    • the_crotch
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      2 months ago

      Yeah that’s probably less than half of his salary

    • RaoulDook@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Could be. There’s no amount of money or jail time that would be enough for me to commit suicide.

      • Willy
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        2 months ago

        really? life in prison would have me seriously consider it. I’ve considered it plenty from normal life also so maybe that’s why.

    • nondescripthandle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      2 months ago

      If they knew about everything he did there would be less incentive to off himself. I’d wager part of the suicide was to bury the truth. Even in death he was a shitty person, and a worse justice.

    • Buffalox@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      Life on a judge minimum wage is hell, it’s almost impossible to survive or afford caviar each day, it was his way out of the missery.
      Also judges are entitled to bribes, supreme court is showing the way for all judges.

    • Cethin@lemmy.zip
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      2 months ago

      If he accepted a bribe once, I’m sure he probably did more than once.

  • SolidGrue@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    The article mentioned a Mout’z Soudani, but went into no further detail. This article has a little more context on the investigation into Orange County and the bribery scheme.

    https://westchester.news12.com/orange-county-das-office-reviews-cases-overseen-by-ex-prosecutor-accused-of-bribery

    Martin Soudani was charged and pleaded guilty last year to an alleged $1.6 million cryptocurrency scheme that was investigated by then Executive Assistant District Attorney Stewart Rosenwasser.

    ™The former prosecutor and retired Orange County Court Judge is accused of knowing the alleged victim, Moutz “Marty” Soudani, the suspect’s uncle, and taking almost $50,000 from him to investigate the case.

  • Soup@lemmy.cafe
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    2 months ago

    Does anyone else like that song Hey Man, Nice Shot? as much as I do? What ever happened to that band I wonder.

  • Cocodapuf@lemmy.world
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    2 months ago

    How do you bring yourself to do something so wrong, that you can’t stand the idea of living after people find out?

    It’s like that first rule of gambling, never bet more than youre willing to lose… Just never do anything so wrong that you can’t live with it.

    • RubberDuck@lemmy.world
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      2 months ago

      I don’t think it’s the “people finding out” it’s more the hellhole he used to send people to, the US calls department of corrections. It seems to exist to create a torturous experience for incarcerated people.

      • Cocodapuf@lemmy.world
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        2 months ago

        Yeah, I think you’re probably exactly right.

        I guess that goes to show that harsh penalties don’t prevent crimes. Sigh… our justice system is so messed up.

      • Akasazh@feddit.nl
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        2 months ago

        Obviously he only found out about that after he got caught. Otherwise he could’ve made sure he didn’t do the crime thing.

        /s

    • nondescripthandle@lemmy.dbzer0.com
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      In cases like these I tend to see suicide as something like “Im even guilty of tthings you haven’t found out about yet and I’m going to make sure you never do”

  • fmstrat@lemmy.nowsci.com
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    2 months ago

    The indictment alleges Rosenwasser accepted bribes from Mout’z Soudani to investigate two of Soudani’s relatives. It further alleges that Rosenwasser would provide Soudani updates on the investigation inappropriately in exchange for bribes.

    Woa, is that this Soudani? https://www.msn.com/en-us/news/crime/new-york-woman-claims-she-was-sexual-slave-to-her-brother-for-45-years-lawsuit/ar-AA1lGqE7

    If so, we can guess the rest of the story.