Outside Counsel

This is a still from a videoThe Brooklyn District Attorney's office describes as the centerpiece of its case against Justice Gerald Garson, showing him accepting $1,000 cash and a $250 box of cigars in his office from attorney Paul Siminovsky, in return for giving him the edge in divorce cases and for referring clients to him. The tapes were shown to the jury last week in the related trial in which the Judge's clerk and court officer are being prosecuted. The New York Times reports: "In the final tape shown yesterday, made March 10, 2003, Justice Garson shares with Mr. Siminovsky some of his judicial philosophy.

When Mr. Siminovsky asks, "Do you got any trials this week?" Justice Garson replies: "Let me tell you something about this job. One of the greatest things about this job is I don't know what the [expletive] I have tomorrow until I get here. I don't give a [expletive] either, you know."

Mr. Siminovsky replies, "Can't argue with that."

A few minutes later on the tape, Mr. Siminovsky hands the judge something that prosecutors say is a short stack of ten marked $100 bills. The judge pockets it without comment. Ten minutes later, Justice Garson, alone in his office, pulls what appears to be the money out of his pocket and counts it.

After an interlude in which he is interviewed in his office by a high school student, Justice Garson, having apparently summoned Mr. Siminovsky back to his office, gives him back the money and asks him to write a check to his wife's judicial campaign instead.

Mr. Siminovsky urges the judge to take the money and offers to write a check, too. Justice Garson seems to agree and puts the money in his drawer.

A few minutes later, Mr. Siminovsky leaves the office.

"Keep the faith," he tells the judge."