NJ judge who lost son in targeted shooting continues to speak out on importance of judicial security
Judge who lost son in shooting continues to speak out on judicial security
This week marks five years since a gunman showed up at the home of New Jersey federal Judge Esther Salas, killed her son, Daniel, and severely injured her husband. While anonymous pizza deliveries are showing up at D.C. judges' homes in Daniel's name, Judge Salas continues to fight for judicial security, vowing that her son?s death will not be in vain.
WASHINGTON - This week marks five years since a gunman showed up at the home of New Jersey federal Judge Esther Salas, killed her son, Daniel, and severely injured her husband.
While anonymous pizza deliveries are showing up at D.C. judges' homes in Daniel's name, Judge Salas continues to fight for judicial security, vowing that her son’s death will not be in vain.
The backstory:
This Saturday marks five years since Daniel Anderl was murdered by a self-proclaimed men’s rights lawyer who had appeared before his mother in court.
People continue to use his name to send anonymous pizza deliveries to current sitting judges, some of whom work at a courthouse in D.C. to send threatening messages.
"We are so dangerously close to having another person killed, another child murdered. We've seen the dangers of hate. We saw it in Minnesota. We've seen the dangers of individuals using their words recklessly and yet we see light," Salas said.
She is calling out leaders and elected officials who have publicly called judges names and called for their impeachment after being on the losing end of a judge's decision.
On Memorial Day, Trump posted to Truth Social saying judges are "monsters who want America to go to hell." It's part of increasingly alarming rhetoric targeting judges around the country.
Local perspective:
Judge Salas' story is not unlike that of Maryland Judge Andrew Wilkinson, who was shot and killed in his driveway by a man who had lost before the judge in a divorce case earlier that day.
In Montgomery County, judges continue to ask for more resources to secure the courthouse amid rising threats.
READ MORE: Montgomery County judges want more security amid increased threats against court employees
This past legislative session, Maryland lawmakers considered requiring sheriff's offices to place a deputy in every circuit courtroom in the state but many can't meet that requirement with current resources.
Montgomery County Sheriff Max Uy says he has a 20% deficit of deputies right now. However, he says he's optimistic because they are now seeing double-digit applicants where they were not before and eight prospective candidates are currently going through training.
Looking ahead:
"So I continue, Ms. Barlow, to hold onto hope, to hold onto faith and to hold onto light and these are the things that I will continue to do because he is counting on me to do that. He's counting on me to remind people who he was who he is who he will always be and that is someone who speaks up for justice and gives his life for justice," Salas told FOX 5’s Chief Legal Correspondent Katie Barlow.
Salas and several leaders on this issue have an event called speak up for justice on July 31 where we will hear from judges who have received some of these anonymous pizza deliveries in Daniel's name.