Integrity of Judge John F. Lambert continues to slide

At this time, the Otsego County Judge John F. Lambert is presiding over two cases: 

• the civil case in the Delaware County Supreme Court of Barbara O'Sullivan against officer Derek Bowie of the Delaware County Sheriff's Department (where Judge Lambert regularly rules in favor of Bowie no matter even though the law favors the Pro Se Plaintiff Barbara O'Sullivan), and
• the criminal case in the Delaware County Court of People v. Barbara O'Sullivan brought against Ms. O'Sullivan instead of against Derek Bowie by the employer of Derek Bowie's uncle, the Delaware County District Attorney Richard Northrup.

While Judge Lambert could at least pretend that he did not know of the disqualification of the Delaware County District Attorney before August 24, 2015, after he was served with Richard Northrup sworn admission that Jeffrey J. Bowie is, indeed,

(1) the prosecutor's own employee, and
(2) the main witness's and the alleged victim's uncle,

Judge Lambert cannot pretend lack of knowledge any longer.

Here is the cover letter that accompanied Richard Northrup's verified Answer to Barbara O'Sullivan's Petition for a writ of prohibition in the NYS Appellate Division 3rd Judicial Department:

After having received a sworn statement by a prosecutor in a case indicating that the prosecutor has the appearance of representing the PRIVATE interests of the Bowie family in a criminal prosecution against Derek Bowie's victim, the allegedly Honorable Judge Lambert had and still has the power to:

(1) recuse from the case;
(2) dismiss the indictment sua sponte (on his own motion) as being brought by a disqualified prosecutor.

Judge Lambert did not do either of those two things.

He staunchly and now knowingly continues to preside over a case that heads for trial and may have a potential of putting an innocent disabled woman and a victim of misconduct of a close relative of the prosecutor's employee in prison for 7 years, and at the time when that same prosecutor refuses to prosecute that same relative for an earlier assault on that same innocent disabled woman.

Unlike often gigantic District Attorney's offices in more populated counties, in Delaware County, the District Attorney's office counts 3 lawyers, two secretaries - and investigator Jeff Bowie.

The entire office is contained in a small "suite" that consists of Richard Northrup's very small study, a room with office equipment outside that study with two desks for the two secretaries, and a 2nd-story loft with two tables for the other two prosecutors, John Hubbard and Marybeth Dumont.

It is an extremely close relationship, office personnel is closely bonded and Richard Northrup depends on investigations of Jeff Bowie in his daily work.

It is apparent that Richard Northrup does not want to upset his valuable employee and, likely, a friend, with a prosecution of his nephew that may end the nephew's career in the police force, brand him as a violent felon and, potentially, send him to prison for many years.

It is apparent that even an appearance that Richard Northrup's discretionary decisions not to prosecute his employee's relative and instead to prosecute that relative's victim are dictated by Richard Northrup's feelings toward his employee and his desire to preserve harmony in his working relationship with that employee, should have immediately disqualified Richard Northrup from the case.

Nor does Judge Lambert, a former recent prosecutor out of Otsego County who, likely, is also in a friendly relationship with Richard Northrup, a prosecutor from an adjoining county, want to undermine his friendly relationship with Richard Northrup over Barbara O'Sullivan.

It is apparent from Ms. O'Sullivan's two cases currently pending in front of Lambert that fairness falls through the cracks in Judge Lambert's courtroom, the rule of law falls through the cracks, and the only thing that matters to both Judge Lambert and Richard Northrup are, apparently, the old boys' ties.

I encourage the public to petition the New York State Commission for Judicial Conduct to investigate Judge Lambert's behavior in Barbara O'Sullivan's two cases and to have him disciplined for having the two cases to be ruled, instead of the rule of law, by the law of connections, further undermining the already disappearing public trust in the integrity of judiciary in New York State.

If you think that Barbara O'Sullivan's case does not concern you, New Yorkers, it does.

Judge Lambert is young and can remain on the bench for another 30 years or so.

If he continues on the bench, his misconduct will only get worse, while he is getting up on the administrative ladder.

You never know when you may have appear in the future in front of Judge John F. Lambert, in a civil or criminal matter - John Lambert is also an Acting Supreme Court Justice, presiding over a variety of civil cases, and a Family and Surrogate's Court judge assigned to cases in several counties.

So, it is not entirely unlikely that Judge Lambert will at some point be assigned to your case, or cases of your friends and relatives - and, naturally, he will act the way he acts now and will apply to you and your loved ones the same "law of connections" as he is applying to Barbara O'Sullivan.

He needs to be stopped now, before he, and his old boy buddies whom he favors, ruin more lives - possibly, yours included.