Judge Gary N. Wilcox of Bergen County, New Jersey, is currently facing an ethics complaint following allegations that he posted inappropriate TikTok videos under the alias “Sal Tortorella.” The complaint, filed by the New Jersey Supreme Court’s Advisory Committee on Judicial Conduct on June 30, claims that Judge Wilcox lip-synced songs with explicit sexual references in these videos, which were posted publicly from April 2021 to March 2023.
According to reports, the accused judge, who is 58 years old and a Harvard Law School graduate, allegedly lip-synced songs by mainstream performers in various settings, including his chambers, the courthouse, and even in his bed. The videos in question featured Judge Wilcox wearing his judicial robes along with a Beavis and Butt-Head T-shirt, while the bed video depicted him partially dressed. The TikTok videos not only contained graphic sexual references but also made references to violence, sex, misogyny, and racist terms.
It is worth noting that Robert Hille, Judge Wilcox’s lawyer, has defended his client by arguing that the music used in the videos is widely available to the public and elicits different responses from different listeners. Hille further added that the videos did not have any malicious intent behind them.
The ethics complaint specifically outlines several instances captured in the videos. One video showed Judge Wilcox lip-syncing the lyrics of Rihanna’s song “Jump,” which includes explicit phrases related to sexual activities. Another video depicted him mouthing the words, “All my life, I’ve been waiting for somebody to whoop my ass. I mean business! You think you can run up on me and whip my monkey ass? Come on. Come on!”
One particularly controversial video featured Judge Wilcox sitting in a car wearing a freedom of speech T-shirt and mouthing explicit words. He said, “Go ahead baby. You hittin’ them corners too g-damn fast. You gotta slow this mothaf- – -a down. You understand? I almost spilled my [Cognac] on this 200-dollar suit.”
The ethics complaint also highlighted a video where text appeared on the screen, stating, “When an ex-girlfriend calls you ‘Santa’ because of your new white beard.” This video played rapper Busta Rhymes’ song “Touch It,” which contains explicit lyrics, as background music.
In another video, Judge Wilcox recorded himself walking in the courthouse while rapper Nas’ song “Get Down” played in the background. The song contains explicit lyrics related to a criminal case, a courtroom shooting, derogatory terms, drug and gang references, and the killing of a doctor who treated a gang member.
The complaint further noted that out of the 40 videos Judge Wilcox posted, 11 were deemed inappropriate and brought disrepute to the judiciary.
The ethics complaint against Judge Wilcox has garnered attention from various publications, including the New York Times, Law360, the New York Post, Law.com, and the New Jersey Monitor.
As the case unfolds, it remains to be seen how the New Jersey Supreme Court will address the allegations against Judge Wilcox and whether any disciplinary action will be taken. Both legal professionals and the public will be closely monitoring the proceedings to ensure the integrity of the judicial system is upheld.
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