New Jersey judge apologizes after telling a woman she should sell her nude photos to Hugh Hefner.
Alberto Rivas, a Superior Court judge in Middlesex County, New Jersey, is facing charges of violating the judicial code after telling one woman involved in a love triangle to “divorce her husband” and “take half his pension” and the other woman to “send nude photos of herself to Hugh Hefner.”
Rivas, who became a judge in 2010, serves as Assignment Judge, offered an apology for his lude remarks.
“I regret the comments I made during the proceeding,” Rivas said. “I felt the court was being manipulated, but I let my feelings about the case influence my language, tone and demeanor, all of which were inappropriate.”
The charges by the Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct against Rivas stem from a Family Court case which took place in January of this year and involved a woman seeking the return of several suggestive photos she took of herself for her former boyfriend, allegedly forwarded to the boyfriend’s wife. The woman told the judge she was afraid the wife would forward the pictures to her place of employment. Rivas said that her testimony was “not believable,” adding, “I was born at night. It was not last night.”
In his answer to the complaint, Rivas said the case “initially appeared to be a revenge porn or blackmail matter,” but it became apparent that the woman “was attempting to perpetuate a fraud on the court.” The judge stated further the woman’s story was “a complete fabrication” and that she had “orchestrated the legal charade.”
Rivas also said, “Do not sit there and tell me that you’re having a relationship with a married man and that you don’t where his wife works. I’ve been doing this for a number of years. Better people have attempted to lie to me. You’re not that good.”
The woman said she no longer wanted to have contact with her boyfriend, but declined to file for a final restraining order, which Rivas said he would be “happy to grant.”
Rivas called the boyfriend a “knucklehead” who “needs to be brought down a notch.” He also stated the two women are responsible for allowing themselves to “get played by this guy. Who I’m not going to call him a man because he does not deserve that title – this homo sapien.” The man involved in the matter is a corrections officer.
“I would suggest divorce and take half his pension,” Rivas said. The couple had been married for about 11 years and had a 10-year-old daughter.
The judge then addressed the man outright, who was not part of the proceedings, stating, “I wish you were up here, because I am gunning for you, because you are despicable.”
After the wife agreed to turn over the photos within 24 hours, Rivas said, “Your problem is with that knucklehead. But it’s clear that you folks have been involved in a triangle, and kind of like the Bermuda Triangle, it’s deadly.”
At the end of the court proceeding, Rivas said to the woman, “The only person you should be sending naked pictures to are (sic) to Hugh Hefner. He will pay you $100,000 for the use of them.”
Sources:
Judge apologizes for telling woman to sell nude photos to Playboy
NJ judge apologizes for telling woman in love triangle to sell nude photos to Playboy
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