Transcript of flagrant judicial misconduct on 7/10/15 by New York City Housing Judge Clifton Nembhard

8/18/2019 Transcript of flagrant judicial misconduct on 7/10/15 by New York City Housing Judge Clifton Nembhard

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KOMATSU V. TURNBURY VI LLAGE, LT- 6104/ 15 1

THE FOLLOWI NG I S A TRANSCRI PTI ON OF PRI VATE AUDI ORECORDI NG PROVI DED BY MR. KOMATSU, WHO STATED THAT THE RECORDI NG WAS MADE ON 7/ 10/ 2015, START-I NG AT 1: 03 PM. THE TRANSCRI BED PORTI ON OF THERECORDI NG STARTS AT 1: 40: 56 AND LASTS ABOUT 8

MI NUTES AND 43 SECONDS.

THI S RECORDI NG I S OF AN I NSPECTI ON OF MR.KOMATSU’ S APARTMENT CONDUCTED BY J UDGE CLFTON A.NEMBHARD OF THE HOUSI NG COURT OF THE QUEENSCOUNTY CI VI L COURT, I NDEX NUMBER 6104/ 2015.

ACCORDI NG TO MR. KOMATSU, THE FOLLOWI NG PARTI ESWERE PRESENT I N THE APARTMENT DURI NG THE I NSPEC- TI ON, AND HE HELPED TO I DENTI FY THE SPEAKERS ON THE RECORDI NG:

- MR. KOMATSU

- J UDGE NEMBHARD

- A MALE COURT OFFI CER ASSI GNED TO THEQUEENS COUNTY CI VI L COURT WHO HAS A BADGENUMBER OF 6814 ( HE CAN BE HEARD I N THERECORDI NG TELLI NG MR. KOMATSU NOT TOVI DEOTAPE THE I NSPECTI ON) .

- A FEMALE COURT OFFI CER ASSI GNED TO THEQUEENS COUNTY CI VI L COURT WHO HAS A BADGENUMBER OF 3119 ( SHE CAN BE HEARD I N THERECORDI NG TELLI NG J UDGE NEMBHARD THAT SHEWANTED TO SEE I F MR. KOMATSU’ S PHONE WAS TURNED ON) .

- J UDGE NEMBHARD' S COURT CLERK.

- CONSTANTI NE PAPAMI CHAEL, A REPRESENTATI VEOF THE FORMER LANDLORD, TURNBURY VI LLAGE

LLC.

- SHARON COOK, TURNBURY VI LLAGE’ S ATTORNEY( SHE CAN BE HEARD I N THE RECORDI NG SAYI NG THAT THE TENANT I N 5K WAS WAI TI NG FORSOMEONE TO GO DOWN TO THAT APARTMENT TOFLUSH THE TOI LET) .




( BEGI N TRANSCRI PTI ON AT 1: 40: 47)

( BELL RI NGI NG - - DOORBELL?)

( I NAUDI BLE GREETI NGS AT DOOR)

MR. KOMATSU : I wasn’ t expect i ng t hi s

many peopl e.

( COURT OFFI CER 6814) : Thi s i s how we do

i t . Anyone el se i n t he apar t ment ?

MR. KOMATSU : Uh, no, j ust me.

( COURT OFFI CER 6814) : Any ani mal s, dogs,

anyt hi ng?

MR. KOMATSU : Uh, no, but basi cal l y

t he i nspect i on was onl y f or t he j udge.

( COURT OFFI CER 6814) : We’ r e goi ng t o t ake

our t i me ( I NAUDI BLE)

( I NAUDI BLE CROSSTALK)

MR. KOMATSU : I ’ m sor r y?

: ( I NAUDI BLE)

MR. KOMATSU : Ri ght , but I ’ m sayi ng,

t he agr eement wasn’ t bet ween my l andl ord’ s

at t orney or anyone el se ( I NAUDI BLE)

( COURT OFFI CER 6814) : Al l r i ght , c’ mon,

l et ’ s j ust t ake a l ook.




MR. KOMATSU : ( I NAUDI BLE) I mean, i f

t her e i s an agr eement ( I NAUDI BLE) her e. So, I ’ m

not get t i ng ( I NAUDI BLE) what I agr eed t o.

( COURT CLERK) : The j udge’ s or der s, si r .

( THE COURT?) : Ri ght , r i ght .

( I NAUDI BLE)

( I NAUDI BLE BACKGROUND CONVERSATI ON)

MR. KOMATSU : Thi s i s my apart ment

( I NAUDI BLE)

( UNKNOWN PARTY) : ( I NAUDI BLE)

MR. KOMATSU : I do.

( SOUND OF FOOTSTEPS)

( LONG I NAUDI BLE SECTI ON)

MR. KOMATSU : The bot t om l i ne i s,

t hi s i s pr i vat e pr oper t y.

THE COURT : Yes or , yes or no? You

t ol d me you di d- -

MR. KOMATSU : I di d, however , we

r eached an agr eement i n cour t - -

THE COURT : I t ’ s not open t o debat e,

si r . ( I NAUDI BLE - - how we i nspect - -

MR. KOMATSU : I f you’ r e act i ng out si de

t he bounds of t hat agr eement , t hen ( I NAUDI BLE)

( UNKNOWN PARTY) : ( I NAUDI BLE)




MR. KOMATSU : - - you agreed t o an on-

si t e i nspect i on t oday, J udge- -

THE COURT : That ’ s why I ’ m here.

MR. KOMATSU : At 2: 00 o’ cl ock, not

3: 00 o’ cl ock, not 4: 00 o’ cl ock. . .

THE COURT : Mr . Komat su, I ’ m goi ng

t o ask you one more t i me: are you goi ng t o al l ow

me access?

MR. KOMATSU : I am.

THE COURT : Okay.

MR. KOMATSU : The poi nt i s- -


( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : Ar e you goi ng

t o al l ow me access? Can we have t he access?

THE COURT : We’ r e here f or about

( I NAUDI BLE) al l r i ght ?

( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : So you’ r e

al l owi ng me access, so ( I NAUDI BLE)


MR. KOMATSU : There’ s a Fi r st

Amendment , so I ’ m exer ci si ng ( I NAUDI BLE)

THE COURT : Mr . Komat su, agai n,

we’ r e not her e t o debat e. We’ r e her e t o l i st en t o

t hese noi ses. That ’ s al l .





THE COURT : For t he l ast t i me, ar e

you al l owi ng us access?

MR. KOMATSU : I am.

THE COURT : Al l r i ght . So t hat ’ s

al l .

MR. KOMATSU : You asked me a quest i on,

and I answer ed i t .

( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : Okay, so

you’ r e al l owi ng access, t hank you so much. Come

on i n, J udge.

THE COURT : Thank you.

MR. KOMATSU : I shoul d al so poi nt out

t hat t here was work bei ng done t hi s morni ng, um,

at , bet ween 9: 00 and 10: 00, basi cal l y pr event i ng

you f r om bei ng abl e t o wi t ness t hi s f i r st - hand.

I ’ ve got audi o and vi deo r ecor di ngs conf i r mi ng

i t .

THE COURT : Al l r i ght . We’ r e here

( I NAUDI BLE)


MR. KOMATSU : Ri ght . I mean, t he

bot t om l i ne i s, t her e’ s a, you know, a t r i gger ,

so i f no one’ s usi ng t he pl umbi ng i n some ot her




apart ment t hat ’ s causi ng t he event , t hen you

can’ t conf i rm i t . So- -

MS. COOK : The t enant i n 5K i s wai t i ng

f or someone t o come down and f l ush t he t oi l et .


MR. PAPAMI CHAEL : Yes.

MS. COOK : You want t o go now? Al l

r i ght ( I NAUDI BLE)

( COURT OFFI CER 6814) : Do you want me

t o go out wi t h t hem, or - - ?

MR. PAPAMI CHAEL: You know what ? When I ’ m

downst ai r s, knock on t he f l oor s, t he t oi l et wi l l

f l ush.

MS. COOK : Okay.

( EXTENDED I NAUDI BLE CROSSTALK)

( COURT OFFI CER 6814) : You can’ t , can’ t

t ape.

MR. KOMATSU : Act ual l y, i t ’ s my

apart ment , so I ( I NAUDI BLE)

( CONTI NUED I NAUDI BLE CROSSTALK)

MR. KOMATSU : No, I ’ m t he l easehol der

( I NAUDI BLE) t ape as evi dence.

( LOUD WHOOSHI NG SOUND)

THE COURT : I ’ m here ( I NAUDI BLE)





( COURT OFFI CER 6814) : I f you t ake

of f ( I NAUDI BLE)

MR. KOMATSU : I need i t , I need,

( I NAUDI BLE) . The bot t om l i ne i s t hi s. I f you

i ssue a deci si on t hat I wi sh t o appeal , I f i nd

evi dence ( I NAUDI BLE)

THE COURT : I t ’ s goi ng t o be based

on my j udgment ( I NAUDI BLE)

MR. KOMATSU : I under st and t hat .


MR. KOMATSU : ( I NAUDI BLE) appl i cat i on

t o the New Yor k St ate Appel l ate Ter m ( I NAUDI BLE)

THE COURT : I t ’ s goi ng t o be based

on my j udgment , on what I obser ve. Ri ght ?

MR. KOMATSU : Al l r i ght .

THE COURT : And i f t he Appel l at e

Term or t he Appel l at e Cour t s want t o over t urn me,

based on my per sonal , based on- - l i st en t o me- -

MR. KOMATSU : ( I NAUDI BLE)

( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : One second,

l i st en t o t he j udge- -

THE COURT : Based on my

obser vat i ons. . .





( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : Go ahead,

J udge.

THE COURT : Si r , si r , i f i t ’ s goi ng

t o be a pr obl em, I can go back to the cour t house

MR. KOMATSU : No, but do you

under st and my- -

THE COURT : No, no, I don’ t

under st and, I don’ t under st and, ( OVERTALKI NG) no,

l i st en t o me- -

MR. KOMATSU : No, no- - ( I NAUDI BLE)

THE COURT : You asked me a quest i on.

I don’ t under st and.


( COURT CLERK) : ( I NAUDI BLE) t he j udge i s

t al ki ng- -

THE COURT : Mr . Komat su, you asked- -

( COURT CLERK) : Thi s i s t he deal - -

THE COURT : Mr . Komat su- - Mr . , Mr - -

MR. KOMATSU : No, you ar e i nspect i ng

i n my own apar t ment - -

( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : J udge, you

know what - -




THE COURT : We can l eave your

apar t ment . You have t he r i ght . You’ r e r i ght , t hi s

i s pr i vat e pr oper t y.


MR. KOMATSU : What i s happeni ng here.

You guys ar e bargi ng i nt o my apart ment .

THE COURT : Okay, i f you f eel t hat

we’ r e bar gi ng i n- -

MR. KOMATSU : No, basi cal l y t he

agr eement was t hat , wi t h you ( I NAUDI BLE) I was

her e ( I NAUDI BLE) asked, I got a cal l f r om t he

cour t sayi ng ( I NAUDI BLE)

THE COURT : Ri ght .

MR. KOMATSU : So, basi cal l y, t hat ’ s

what ( I NAUDI BLE) . So t hen at 3: 00 o’ cl ock you and

your par t y show up.

THE COURT : Ri ght .

MR. KOMATSU : You come, you- -

THE COURT : What i s your poi nt , Mr .

Komat su?

MR. KOMATSU : The poi nt i s- -

THE COURT : Ar e you goi ng t o gi ve me

access t o l i st en?

MR. KOMATSU : I am. But i f you’ r e- -




THE COURT : So t hen what i s al l of

t hi s about ?

MR. KOMATSU : No, t he poi nt i s- -

THE COURT : No, what i s al l of

t hi s about ?

MR. KOMATSU : You asked me a quest i on,

I ’ m t r yi ng t o answer i t . Ri ght now, I ’ m pr epar i ng

an appeal , because J udge Lansden chose not t o

enf or ce t he l aw. He’ s t he Super vi sor of Housi ng

Cour t ( I NAUDI BLE)

THE COURT : What does t hat have t o

do wi t h me bei ng her e to l i st en ( I NAUDI BLE) ?

MR. KOMATSU : Let me answer your

quest i on. The f act i s, I have someone i n your own

cour t house who’ s choosi ng not t o enf orce t he l aw.

I n Housi ng ( I NAUDI BLE)

THE COURT : What does t hat have t o

do wi t h - -

MR. KOMATSU : So t hat ’ s a precedent

( I NAUDI BLE)

THE COURT : What , no, what does t hat

have to do wi t h me bei ng her e t oday t o obser ve

t hese ( I NAUDI BLE) ?




MR. KOMATSU : What i t has t o do wi t h

i s i f you choose not t o enf or ce t he l aw, i f you

choose not t o i ssue vi ol at i ons when condi t i ons

warr ant , t hen I need evi dence t o subst ant i ate my

( I NAUDI BLE) .

THE COURT : Agai n, you. . . agai n.

( OVERLAP) I f , i f anybody, i f t he Appel l at e Ter m

want s t o over t urn my deci si on based on my

per sonal obj ect i ons ( I NAUDI BLE) l et t hem f eel

f ree. Al l r i ght ? Agai n, I ’ m not i nt erested - -

agai n, you have t he - -

( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : May I say- -

excuse me- - one second, J udge, I want t o know i f

hi s phone i s on. Can you br i ng your phone i n

f r ont of you?

MR. KOMATSU : Thi s i s per sonal

pr oper t y. ( I NAUDI BLE)

( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : No, no- - I

want t o know i f i t ’ s on, because i t ’ s ( I NAUDI BLE)

t o be t api ng ( I NAUDI BLE)

MR. KOMATSU : I t ’ s on.

( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : I t ’ s on?

Okay, J udge ( I NAUDI BLE) i t ’ s on.




THE COURT : Mr . Komat su, i f you

don’ t move t he phone, you wast e my t i me, and my

st af f ’ s t i me ( I NAUDI BLE) . Okay, I ’ m her e f or , I ’ m

here f or one pur pose. What ever , what ever appeal s-

-

MR. KOMATSU : You’ r e t el l i ng me t o

di sr egard my ( I NAUDI BLE)

THE COURT : No, I ’ m t el l i ng you t hat

what ever , what ever deci si on and order you are

appeal i ng f r om J udge Landsden has not hi ng t o do

wi t h what I ’ m, why I ’ m her e- -

MR. KOMATSU : I under st and t hat .

( I NAUDI BLE)

THE COURT : Wel l , i f you underst and

t hat , t hen st op- - don’ t t el l me no. Don’ t t el l me

no.

MR. KOMATSU : What I ’ m t r yi ng t o say

i s - -

THE COURT : I ’ m not , I ’ m

not , l i st en t o me, I ’ m not her e t o hear what

you’ r e t r yi ng t o say. ( 1: 46: 46) I ’ m her e t o

obser ve and l i st en f or cer t ai n noi ses.

MR. KOMATSU : Ri ght .




THE COURT : That ’ s al l I ’ m here f or .

Not what you’ r e her e t o t el l me t oday. Al l r i ght ?

Thank you.

( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : Di d t he ot her

per son go get - -

MR. PAPAMI CHAEL: Downst ai r s.

( I NAUDI BLE CROSSTALK BETWEEN MULTI PLE PARTI ES)

( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : I have a. . . I

want t o make sur e t hat ’ s not r ecor di ng.

MR. KOMATSU : That ’ s my personal

pr oper t y.


( COURT OFFI CER 6814) : I ’ m not goi ng

t o t ouch i t , j ust have t o make sur e i t ’ s of f .

( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : J ust l eave i n

her e ( I NAUDI BLE) we won’ t t ouch i t .


THE COURT : Ar e you r ecor di ng?

( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : J ust put i t on

t he t abl e, we’ r e not goi ng t o t ouch i t .

( I NAUDI BLE)

THE COURT : I t ’ s on.

MR. KOMATSU : The scr een’ s on but t he

but t on wasn’ t pushed.




( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : Put i t on your

desk ( I NAUDI BLE)

MR. KOMATSU : You’ r e not goi ng t o t el l

me what t o do i n my apar t ment .

( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : I ’ m j ust

sayi ng, we have t o see i t - -

THE COURT : Mr . Komat su, Mr .

Komat su, Mr . Komat su- -

( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : Put i t

somewhere, anywhere you choose.

MR. KOMATSU : How many t i mes do I have

t o make t he same st at ement ? ( I NAUDI BLE)

THE COURT : Mr . , Mr . , Mr . , Mr .

Komat su. I f you, i f you- - ( I NAUDI BLE)


( COURT OFFI CER 3119) : Go ahead.

( I NAUDI BLE)

MR. KOMATSU : I don’ t appreci at e

someone di ct at i ng to me how t o use my apar t ment

( I NAUDI BLE) , i n my own r esi dence.

THE COURT : I t hought t he par t i es

want ed me t o come her e.




MR. KOMATSU : That ’ s not i n di sput e

her e. What ’ s i n di sput e i s your col l eague

( I NAUDI BLE) - -

THE COURT : Si r , I have no di sput e

her e.

MR. KOMATSU : - - di ct at i ng t o me- -

THE COURT : Because t hat ’ s, t hat ’ s,

t hat ’ s t he pr ocedur e. I ’ m sor r y i f you don’ t

agr ee wi t h i t - -

MR. KOMATSU : J ust i magi ne i f someone

came i nt o your home- -

THE COURT : I t ’ s, i t ’ s not a

quest i on of me i magi ni ng anyt hi ng. I t ’ s t he

pr ocedur e.


THE COURT : No, i t ’ s not . That ’ s t he

pr ocedur e. Because we’ r e ( I NAUDI BLE) - - I ’ ve heard

enough. I ’ ve hear d enough.

MR. KOMATSU : Fi ne.

THE COURT : I di dn’ t come here t o

l i st en t o you t oday- - ( 1: 48: 12)

MR. KOMATSU : Wi t h al l due r espect - -




THE COURT : - - I came here t o l i st en

t o ( I NAUDI BLE) - - r i ght , I came her e t o l i st en t o

t he t oi l et . So, agai n- -

MR. KOMATSU : But i f you- -

THE COURT : No, no but , I came here

t o l i s ten t o t he t oi l et .

MR. KOMATSU : I f you’ r e goi ng t o t el l

me that - -

THE COURT : Why am I here

t oday? I ’ m not her e t o hear you speak t oday,

si r . ( 1: 48: 28) I ’ m sor r y t hat i f you’ r e under t he

i mpr essi on t hat I came her e t o l i st en t o your

ar gument s t oday, you’ r e sorel y, sadl y mi st aken.

( 1: 48: 29) I came her e- -

MR. KOMATSU : I ’ m not sayi ng t hat at

al l .

THE COURT : ( I NAUDI BLE) Wer e you

under t he i mpr essi on t hat I came her e to l i st en

t o or al ar gument s f r om you t oday?

MR. KOMATSU : No ( I NAUDI BLE)

THE COURT : Then st op. St op.

MR. KOMATSU : Al l I ’ m sayi ng- -

( I NAUDI BLE) I was goi ng t o be bossed around i n my

own apar t ment .




THE COURT : Wel l , I ’ m sor r y t hat you

f eel you’ r e bei ng bossed ar ound- -

MR. KOMATSU : Thi s t ape i s t otal l y

cl ear .

THE COURT : - - but agai n, you’ r e,

you’ r e not exempt f r om t he r ul es, ever yone el se

has t o f ol l ow t he r ul es, so do you. I ’ m sor r y you

don’ t , I ’ m sor r y you don’ t f eel t hat way- -

MR. KOMATSU : ( I NAUDI BLE) Peopl e have

t he r i ght t o do what t hey want wi t hi n t he bounds

of t he l aw i n t hei r home ( I NAUDI BLE)

THE COURT : Al l r i ght , but when you,

when you r equest an i nspect i on- - ( I NAUDI BLE)

MR. KOMATSU : They don’ t have t o gi ve

up t hose r i ght s, t hey do not have t o ( I NAUDI BLE)

THE COURT : Si r , si r , si r . . . You

know what ? At t hi s poi nt - -

MR. KOMATSU : ( I NAUDI BLE) I ’ m sayi ng

I ’ m not r ecor di ng, do what ever .

THE COURT : So you’ r e st at i ng t hat

you’ r e not r ecor di ng?

THE COURT : What am I here t o do?

MS. COOK : Al l r i ght , so. . .




MR. KOMATSU : Let me doubl e- check, I

had somet hi ng r ecordi ng i n t her e, so ( I NAUDI BLE)

THE COURT : Oh, you di d have some

( I NAUDI BLE)

MR. KOMATSU : Thi s i s not r ecor di ng,

t hi s i s what I ’ m t al ki ng about . ( SI GH, CRACKLI NG

SOUND, END OF RECORDI NG AT 1: 49: 39)



I , Deni se Hi dal go of A+ Of f i ce On Cal l , I nc. ,

cer t i f y t hat t he f or egoi ng t r anscr i pt of event s r ecor ded

and pr ovi ded by Mr . Towaki Komat su, descr i bed by hi m as

bei ng t aped on J ul y 10, 2015 dur i ng a j udge’ s i nspect i on

of hi s apar t ment , t oget her wi t h sever al ot her par t i es

named on page one of t hi s t r anscr i pt and i dent i f i ed i n

t he t r anscr i pt wi t h the hel p of Mr . Komat su, was pr epar ed

usi ng t he r equi r ed t r anscr i pt i on equi pment and i s a t r ue

and accur ate recor d of t he event s.

Si gnat ur e:

Agency Name A+ Of f i ce On Cal l , I nc.

Addr ess: 336 East 87t h St r eet , #B1, New York, NY 10128

Dat e: November 18, 2015

Documents

Transcript of flagrant judicial misconduct on 7/10/15 by New York City Housing Judge Clifton Nembhard