Federal Judge Esther Salas, whose son was killed in a targeted attack at her New Jersey home, will be the keynote speaker at a free, online forum about judicial safety scheduled at 3:00pm (Eastern Time) on Wednesday, April 12, 2023. It is sponsored by the William J. Hughes Center for Public Policy at Stockton University and the New Jersey Hispanic Bar Association.
Registration for the online seminar is available via Zoom.
This virtual event will feature a panel of national judicial security experts. A recording will be archived and available for later viewing at the Hughes Center website.
In July 2020, an assailant armed with a gun went to the Salas residence and opened fire when the door was answered, seriously wounding Salas’ husband, Mark Anderi, and killing their son, Daniel, 20. State and federal laws named after Daniel have since been passed prohibiting the publication of addresses and personal information of judges.
Salas, a U.S. District Court judge in New Jersey, will discuss her family’s tragedy and what rising threats of violence against judges means for independence of the courts. After Salas’ comments, the panel will provide an overview of the problem, what is being done about it in New Jersey and other states, and strategies for protecting courthouses and judges.
Retired Judge Julio Mendez, a senior contributing analyst for the Hughes Center and a Member of the Board of Directors of the National Association for Presiding Judges and Court Executive Officers (NAPCO), will moderate the panel discussion.
Panelists include:
- Robin Morante, Chief of Court and Judicial Security in New Jersey, with Robert P. Arter, Esq., Advisory Committee on Extrajudicial Activities;
- Nathan W. Hall, Principal Court Consultant, National Center for State Courts;
- John Muffler, MS, CTM, Principal, Aequitas Global Security, LLC, formerly with the U.S. Marshals Service, National Center for Judicial Security; and
- John Christopher Palmer, Court Security Director, Utah State Courts, formerly head of travel security for the Obama White House.
The Hughes Center for Public Policy serves as a catalyst for research, analysis and innovative policy solutions on the economic, social and cultural issues facing New Jersey, and promotes the civic life of New Jersey through engagement, education and research. Stockton University is ranked among the top public universities in the nation. With a student body of 9,000 undergraduate and graduate scholars, the University has campuses located in the Pinelands National Reserve in South Jersey and on the Jersey coast near Atlantic City. The university offers more than 160 undergraduate and post-graduate programs.