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Norman Mordue
Norman Mordue was a federal judge on the United States District Court for the Northern District of New York. He joined the court in 1998 after being nominated by President Bill Clinton. Mordue served as the chief judge of the court from 2006 to 2011. He assumed senior status in June 2013. His service ended on December 29, 2022, upon his death.[1]
Education
Mordue graduated from Syracuse University with his bachelor's degree in 1966, and from Syracuse University College of Law with his J.D. in 1971.[1]
Military service
Mordue served as a U.S. Army Captain from 1966 to 1968.[1]
Professional career
- 1985-1998: Justice, New York Supreme Court 5th Judicial District
- 1982-1985: Judge, Onondaga County Court
- 1970-1982: Onondaga County District Attorney's Office (New York)
- 1976-1982: Chief assistant district attorney
- 1974-1976: Senior assistant district attorney
- 1972-1974: Assistant district attorney
- 1970-1972: Law clerk
Mordue also worked as an adjunct professor at his alma mater, Syracuse University College of Law.[1]
Judicial career
Northern District of New York
On the recommendation of U.S. Senator Daniel Patrick Moynihan, Mordue was nominated by President Bill Clinton on October 5, 1998, to a seat vacated by Rosemary Pooler.[2] Mordue was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on October 21, 1998, on a majority voice vote and received commission on October 22, 1998.[2] Mordue served as the chief judge of the court from 2006 to 2011.[1] On June 30, 2013, Mordue assumed senior status after serving on the court for almost 15 years.[3] His service ended on December 29, 2022, upon his death.[1]
Noteworthy cases
Convicted murderer, rapist sentenced in child pornography case (2014)
On March 19, 2014, Judge Mordue sentenced convicted murderer and rapist David Renz to 30 years in prison on child pornography charges. Renz was in possession of 11,000 sexual images of children and 1,100 pornographic videos of children.[4]
Renz was arrested and charged with possession of child pornography in March 2013. He was released pending trial on those charges, and went on to murder a school librarian and rape a ten-year-old girl.[4] Renz pleaded guilty to murder and rape in July 2013, facing a sentence of life without the possibility of parole on those charges.[5] Renz pleaded guilty to the child pornography charges in October 2013.[6]
During his sentencing hearing for the child pornography charges, the prosecutor asked Judge Mordue to give Renz a sentence greater than the 19 to 24 years recommended in federal guidelines due to the "sheer evil" of his actions. Mordue agreed with the prosecutor, sentencing Renz to 30 years in prison, consecutive to his sentence for murder and rape.[4]
Sex offender monitoring (2009)
- See also: United States District Court for the Northern District of New York (Gjurovich v. U.S., 5:01-CR-215)
- See also: United States District Court for the Northern District of New York (Gjurovich v. U.S., 5:01-CR-215)
Judge Mordue approved new technology to monitor sexual offenders at the federal level. The judge upheld the legality of voice technology to monitor sexual offenders by finding that they had the same power as a polygraph to tell if a sex offender was telling the truth. The ruling allowed devices such as Computer Voice Stress Analyzers (CVSA) to be used by probation agents as a part of an offender's post-release conditions.[7]
See also
- United States District Court for the Northern District of New York
- United States Court of Appeals for the 2nd Circuit
External links
- "Biography of Norman A. Mordue" at the Federal Judicial Center
- United States District Court for the Northern District of New York, "Judge Biographies"
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4 1.5 "Biography of Norman A. Mordue" at the Federal Judicial Center
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 THOMAS, "Presidential Nominations 105th Congress: Norman Mordue (USDC, NDNY)," accessed May 10, 2014
- ↑ U.S. Courts, "Current Judicial Vacancies," accessed May 10, 2014
- ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 Syracuse.com, "Convicted murderer David Renz gets 30 years in prison for child pornography," March 19, 2014
- ↑ Syracuse.com, "David Renz pleads guilty, faces life in prison without chance of parole," July 18, 2013
- ↑ Syracuse.com, "Convicted murderer David Renz admits to child porn charges," October 4, 2013
- ↑ EIN News, "Chief Federal Judge Approves New Voice Technology To Monitor Sex Offenders US District Court Validates the CVSA(R)," November 2, 2009
| Political offices | ||
|---|---|---|
| Preceded by - |
United States District Court for the Northern District of New York 2013-2022 |
Succeeded by - |
| Preceded by Rosemary Pooler |
United States District Court for the Northern District of New York 1998-2013 |
Succeeded by - |
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