A New Jersey judge is in hot water after sharing multiple TikTok’s of him rapping Nas and Busta Rhymes music.
Judge Gary N. Wilcox could lose his position over a few online clips that have caught the attention of officials. The videos were recently brought to the attention of New Jersey’s Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct when a complaint was submitted regarding nearly 40 TikTok’s posted between April 2021 and March 2023 under the username Sal Tortorella.
While the profile has since been deleted, Wilcox was seen in the videos rapping along to rap lyrics. While it’s unclear what songs his entire playlist contained, many of the ones he recited were said to be sexual and violent in nature. Some non-rap records Wilcox was seen singing along to was “Sure Thing” by Miguel and “Jump” by Rihanna, while the more curse word heavy records included “Get Down” by Nas and “Touch It” by Busta Rhymes. To make matters worse, Wikcox recorded several of his videos filmed while he was in his judicial robes, while others showed him inside the courthouse and chambers. Law books were seen behind Wilcox in one viral TikTok. Others were filmed inside his home.
Wilcox’s lawyer Robert Hille believes the entire ordeal is being blown out of proportion.
“I don’t think that at the end of the day, anybody is going to believe there was any desire to do any harm here,” Hille told The New York Times.
The complaint slams Wilcox for disrespecting his position and demonstrates an “inability to conform to the high standards of conduct expected of judges.” A hearing date will soon be scheduled to determine what punishment he’ll face. There is a possibility that Wilcox could be dismissed from the bench. However, he is eligible for mandatory retirement next year, so a dismissal won’t necessarily be too detrimental to his career, though it will damage his reputation.
