NYS Supreme Court Justice Ronald Castorina, Jr.
New York State Supreme Court Justice Ronald Castorina Jr. issued a bench warrant for the arrest of former NYPD Detective and 9/11 first responder Guy Simonetti for his failure to pay sums of money to his wife and her array of lawyers.
Simonetti lives in Florida.
Justice Castorina’s previous orders depleted Simonetti savings, froze his bank accounts, and tapped his pension and IRA to help pay for the large legal fees attorneys for his wife incurred on Staten Island, where justices know attorneys are crucial to their political careers.
Unable to afford legal representation, Simonetti filed documents pro se with the Supreme Court Appellate Division, seeking a stay of his arrest due to claims of a health condition that prohibits him from traveling.
Wanted dead or alive: Retired NYPD Detective and 9-11 Responder Guy Simonetti. If he loses his legs he won;t be able to walk all over Justice Ronald Castorina any more.
Simonetti retired from the NYPD in 2003. After serving valiantly in the aftermath of 9/11, his health deteriorated, and even after invasive surgery, his prognosis remains dire.
NY Police Detective Guy Simonetti.
Justice Castorina, a no-nonsense matrimonial and family court judge who prefers operating without a jury, seeks to have Simonetti arrested and brought before him, which will be a novel experience for a police officer who risked his life to protect the public. Justice Castorina is aware of Simonetti’s medical condition. Physician’s reports and medical records available to the judge indicate Simonetti has Factor V Leiden and Factor V deficiency. Factor V Leiden is a genetic mutation that increases the risk of developing abnormal blood clots, while Factor V deficiency is a rare bleeding disorder that results in poor clotting.
Simonetti’s arrest poses significant risks, according to medical experts. Factor V Leiden could lead to the formation of dangerous blood clots, potentially causing loss of blood flow and subsequent loss of limbs. Factor V deficiency could result in excessive bleeding, which could be life-threatening. These risks might be manageable if arresting officers come with qualified healthcare professionals during his transport from Florida to New York.
Justice Castorina however is willing to take the risk of arresting Simonetti, knowing that air travel for a person with Factor V Leiden or Factor V deficiency increases the risk of developing blood clots. He apparently might be open to Simonetti, who is largely homebound, renting a wheelchair-accessible van with a driver and surrender in New York.
The cost, about $6,000 with trained personnel paid by Simonetti, would spare taxpayers the cost of US marshals handling extradition.
Castorina has been advised and may likely advise Simonetti after his arrest and appearance before him that in jail he should take anticoagulant medication and wear compression stockings. However, it is unclear if Simonetti will be able to wear compression stockings while in custody.
By his actions, Castorina refutes suggestions of anti-police bias, noting the necessity of paying attorneys representing people in matrimonial cases and their long-standing support of him.
Castorina has ruled similarly in other cases involving law enforcement officers. In one instance, he reportedly required a retired officer to surrender his World Trade Center Victim’s Compensation Funds during a divorce proceeding, despite legal prohibitions.
Justice Castorina was accused of perjury in a 2018 grand jury testimony, a case highlighted by the Frank Report. Richard Luthmann, a former attorney and writer for the publication, is currently suing Castorina.
Supporters of Castorina say he had no choice but to be deceptive in the grand jury for at that time he was only a NYS Assemblyman and truthful testimony would have blocked his election to the judiciary because he would have been indicted. Political observers note that Special District Attorney Eric Nelson had predetermined he would indict Luthmann, so it did not matter whether Castorina testified truthfully.
If Castorina prevails in the Simonetti divorce case, he will demonstrate to police officers and first responders throughout New York that he will not tolerate any more of their misconduct.
He has already stripped Simonetti of his finances, and should Simonetti suffer severe health consequences, it would further illustrate Castorina’s uncompromising stance.
Should the worst happen and Simonetti dies from the forced travel, Castorina might argue it reduces the number of surplus retired 9/11 responders, pointing out that while Simonetti rushed toward Ground Zero, he and every politician he knew were wisely moving away as quickly as possible.
Simonetti, acting pro se, filed documents with the Supreme Court Appellate Division on Monroe Place in Brooklyn.
