A Colorado judge who accepted a public censure and resigned following allegations of sexually charged conduct on the job is responding to the state investigation into his behavior by calling it “punishment disproportionate to the crime.” He claims that state administrators wanted to embarrass, ridicule and embarrass him for his alternative lifestyle.
“The investigation was overzealous and a waste of taxpayer money,” former Judge John Scipione said in his first media interview. “It could have been solved early on. This case is about a waste of taxpayer money and a nasty, vengeful witch hunt. Aimed at destroying a dedicated public official and his family.”
Scipione served as a magistrate in Arapahoe County from 2012 to 2017 and then as a judge, beginning in 2018. But after a 30-year legal career, he agreed to resign with a public censure following allegations of inappropriate behavior with subordinates.
Former Judge John Scipione LinkedIn
In state disciplinary documents, administrators noted that Scipione discussed his “sexual preferences and habits” with a subordinate at work. In an interview with KeynoteUSA Colorado, he acknowledged that he crossed the line.
“I made a bad decision, I used bad judgment, I said things in retrospect that I shouldn’t have said and I wish I hadn’t, and I will take the consequences for that,” Scipione said.
He said he did not start the conversation with a subordinate, but instead responded to a question, which led to a discussion about his 25-year marriage, which he said is “polyamorous,” meaning he and his wife have consensual relationships. with other people. people.
“We have and have had other relationships with people. Sometimes there is an intimate sexual component and sometimes there is not,” Scipione said. “We’re just open to having experiences outside of our traditional boundaries.”
Former Judge John Scipione KeynoteUSA
He has described his marriage as “consensually non-monogamous.” The father of five said discussing that lifestyle with a subordinate “was totally inappropriate. In retrospect, I should have left it at that.”
A state investigation that lasted several years resulted in the finding that “Scipione engaged in a pattern of misconduct,” repeatedly using his position “to pursue intimate relationships with lower-ranking or subordinate employees of the Judicial Department and court staff,” without disclosing “an intimate relationship with a subordinate employee” when he was serving as a judicial magistrate, approximately 10 years earlier.
“That was totally inappropriate,” Scipione admitted. “It was consensual but it was still wrong. I’m sorry. I made a mistake.”
The judicial investigation concluded that Scipione “engaged in a pattern of misconduct” and “repeatedly abused his power for personal gain.” The state says it has settled two sexual harassment lawsuits related to Scipione’s behavior for $130,000.
While he accepted a public censure for his behavior and resigned in January 2023, just last month the Colorado Supreme Court upheld an earlier ruling that Scipione should have to repay $51,189 in attorney fees to cover previous disciplinary proceedings.
“I don’t have $51,000,” Scipione said. “It is a judgment that I will have to pay throughout my life.”
He described the sentence as “a disproportionate penalty.” He went on to say that he “absolutely” made mistakes, but considers the judicial inquiry into his conduct to be “conduct disproportionate to the crime.” He said he believes state judicial authorities pursued him more harshly than other judges who he said were involved in more serious incidents because of the sexual nature of his conduct.
“People like to sexualize things they don’t understand,” Scipione observed. “Did I make mistakes? Absolutely. Do I take responsibility? Absolutely. Did the consequences alter my life beyond repair? Yes, and that’s something I have to deal with,” he said during an hour-long interview.
Jeffrey Walsh, special counsel for the Colorado Office of Judicial Discipline, declined to discuss Scipione’s case or the former judge’s comments.
“Neither the commission nor its staff comment on individual cases,” Walsh said.
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Brian Maass
Keynote USA
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