Judge Rory Bellantoni Steps Down-Why? and Where is He Headed?

Judge Rory Bellantoni

The news late last week that acting Supreme Court Judge Rory Bellantoni was stepping down from the bench came as a complete surprise to almost everyone in Westchester. Rory Bellantoni, the son of former Judge Orazio Bellantoni, who served for 25 years, has the bench in his families blood.

Rory was first elected to the county court in 2003, and was recently made an acting Supreme Court Judge by Chief Judge Frank Nicolai to hear Civil Cases in the 9^th Judicial District. Prior to this appointment, he was presiding over the sex offender court for Westchester County.

Judge Rory was taken off the sex offender court recently, after his decision to free Richard DiGuglielmo, who served 10 years in prison for shooting Charles Campbell in the Dobbs Ferry Deli case. This brave decision by Bellantoni may have resulted in his transfer to civil court, and may have a role in his decision to leave the bench.

Judge Bellantoni said his reason for leaving the bench was because  Judges have not been given a  pay raise for 10 years.  But in an interview with Rising Media a few years ago, Bellantoni explained to this reporter that he had worked at a private law firm and earned a good income, but serving as a judge was his true love.

Things have changed in the years in between if you believe Rory’s reason for his departure.

The rumor in the county courthouse in White Plains is that Bellantoni will take a position in the law firm of Jonathan Lovett, which Lovett denied.

The other rumor is that Bellantoni has something to hide or is leaving the bench for other than financial reasons.  

One of Bellantoni’s biggest fans is Westchester Guardian editor Richard Blassberg and his boss publisher Sam Zherka. What if any role this friendship played in Bellantoni’s decision is unclear.