Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice's Death Linked to Coronavirus, First for New York Judiciary
Fifteen COVID-19 cases have been reported among New York judges as of midday Tuesday, state court spokesman Lucian Chalfen said.
April 01, 2020 at 12:43 PM
2 minute read
The original version of this story was published on New York Law Journal
Justice Johnny Lee Baynes. Photo: State Unified Court System
A Brooklyn Supreme Court justice died of causes related to COVID-19 on March 26, a first for the New York judiciary as the coronavirus continues to spread throughout the state.
Justice Johnny Lee Baynes was elected to the Kings County Supreme Court in 2011, and he presided over civil court.
He was 64 years old, the Brooklyn Eagle reported.
Baynes was known for his calm demeanor in the courtroom and for presiding over the embattled closure of Long Island College Hospital, when he balanced a Brooklyn neighborhood's concerns about losing its hospital with the state-owned facility's poor financial circumstances.
Prior to joining the Supreme Court, Baynes served as a Civil Court judge. He joined the bench in 1993, when he was appointed as a Brooklyn Housing Court judge.
Brooklyn Supreme Court Justice Lisa Ottley, who got to know Baynes while he was presiding over landlord-tenant court and she was working as a court attorney for another judge, described him as a gentle giant and a generous mentor.
"He was just a wonderful, wonderful person, and just mentored you — you didn't have to ask," she said.
Ottley said Baynes' commitment to community involvement made a lasting impression on her.
"He was very, very, very community-oriented and always felt that you had to remain involved, so that people would see him and know that they had a chance, being in the court," she said, explaining that Baynes wanted to reduce the fear that communities of color felt in relation to housing court.
She said Baynes' legacy lives on through the lawyers and judges he mentored and through his daughter Jolie Baynes, who is currently attending law school.
Baynes graduated from Fordham University and Howard University School of Law.
Fifteen COVID-19 cases have been reported among New York judges as of midday Tuesday, state court spokesman Lucian Chalfen said. The court has been operating in an essential-functions-only mode for more than a week, with some courts moving into a virtual mode to slow the spread of the virus.
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