I've Crossed Paths With The Victim & The Shooter.....

[Laxman]

in the incident involving the Federal Judge in New Jersey. When I saw the name of the victims released this morning I was taken aback. I told my wife I knew the attorney who was shot and so did she. We worked together in our first jobs as lawyers. We were young assistant prosecutors. It was a very social job-a lot of Friday night drinking for 20-somethings working in a high stress environment. My wife and I had spent several (or more) end of the week evenings with him and our co-workers. Mark was in the "class" of prosecutors the year after I started, although I didn't know until I read the article today he was 2 years older than I am, but he was my "junior" partner--we were assigned to the same court for about six months. Just a pleasant and decent human being. I haven't seen him in many years. While this entire incident is upsetting, it was very unnerving to find out it was someone I knew. Then...

I just read who the shooter was. I had a run-in with this nut job when I was working for the courts before I passed the bar. He was a law student-I think at Columbia or New York Law, although when I tell you about the case he was trying to bring you might think it hard to believe-as I did-that he ever set foot in a law school. There was a women's only-gym called (if I remember correctly) Lucille Roberts that had T.V. commercials all over the NY Metro stations. They offered the first 30-days free when you signed up. This dimwit decided he was going to sue Lucille Roberts because he had the brainstorm of all time-the free membership constituted an offer that he said they wouldn't make good on because he was a man. Therefore it was a breech of contract. He brought his application for membership with him that they refused to take. He wanted them to pay for a membership to a different health club that he could attend as damages. The look on the face of the woman from the gym's corporate office as he explained his "case" was priceless.

There was a mandatory mediation program and every case had to go through me before it could get a trial. I was the gatekeeper for limited trial time in New Jersey's busiest court. I told him he was crazy and he should get on the Path train back to NY and that I was recommending dismissal of his case. He went to complain to the presiding judge about me. The judge told me it was OK and that the only way she would have been mad at me would have been if I let that case hit her trial docket-although I got the feeling she would have liked to have ripped into him in court. About 5 or so years later I saw in the paper that he was billing himself as a "men's rights" attorney suing some night club for having a "ladies night". (Den Hollender isn't the kind of name you forget easily) I guess that was his next brainstorm. Every time I saw a Planet Fitness commercial I thought about this weirdo and what he must of thought would be his brilliant test case for his theories.

None of this really means anything-it's just strange to have a peripheral connection to two of the people involved. One thing is clear, this guy definitely had a problem with women that went way back. Now one oddball attorney with some lifelong axe to grind has taken a young man's life, gravely injured another man and forever changed the lives of Mark and his wife. We're definitely living in bizzaro world-and with all of the crazy videos of people freaking out, you never know who is really dangerous and who is just a crank. Be careful out there folks.

[chowder66]

1. That has to be a bit surreal for you.

[ZZenith]

2. And now we find out he spent a decade in Russia

and the judge had just been assigned to the Epstein/Deutsche Bank case.

More to it than just an aggrieved “men’s rights” loon, I’ll warrant.

[Kitchari]

9. Too true n/t

[niyad]

12. And, according to a post here on DU earlier today, his ex-wife was a mob prostitue

And had been the mistress of a Chechnyan warlord.

[LymphocyteLover]

13. whoa, seriously?

[Dios Mio]

14. Yep.

[Princess Turandot]

19. The judge had just been assigned to the Deutsche Bank. God forbid this ahole had killed her too..

they would have simply replaced her with another judge. While I imagine that she's a very capable judge, it's hard to see how assassinating her would have benefited either party in the case at this stage. Not to mention, a 'professional' hit-person would likely not have shot two people in the open doorway of a home, left a wounded witness who could identify him behind, and failed to look through the house for his actual target.

[ZZenith]

20. Assuming you are serious -

Doesn’t this send a signal to anyone else who might be put on this case?

And does it not get them a “do-over” for judge selection? Perhaps someone a little less ethically rigid?

[woodsprite]

30. He also crossed paths/had connections to Roy Cohn and the Gambino and Managano crime families.

According to his web site: Worked undercover for the media as assistant campaign manager for a mob judge backed by the Gambino and Managano crime families and Roy Cohn.

[ecstatic]

25. +1000. nt

[dawg day]

3. I'm glad he didn't decide YOU were an enemy after you shut down his case-

Did you hear about the OTHER "prominent men's rights attorney" in California, killed the same way (fake delivery driver), just last week, Marc Angelucci?

"One of his friends’ answered, but the delivery man said he had a package that Angelucci needed to sign for."
https://www.sbsun.com/2020/07/12/mens-rights-activist-fatally-shot-in-front-of-home-in-san-bernardino-mountains/

Looks like the shooter first tried to take out a rival in his little niche in the legal world?

[Laxman]

6. I've Come Across.....

way more than my share of characters, dangerous and otherwise, in my career. I've had the State Police sit outside my house for a couple of weeks while I prosecuted a gang leader. I've been in very public positions and had a small gaggle of stalkers over the years. I've gotten anonymous threatening letters. Even had one loon who showed up on my front lawn. Never bothered me. This kind of makes me re-think my cavalier attitude.

[muriel_volestrangler]

8. The authorities have made that connection too

And now authorities are also looking into his possible connection to the death of another prominent men's rights figure in California earlier this month, sources say.
...
According to law enforcement sources, investigators found material with Den Hollander on the California murder victim, as well as information about Judge Janet DiFiore, the chief judge of the state of New York. The FBI has been in contact with DiFiore to advise her of the finding.

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/dead-man-in-ny-may-be-tied-to-killing-of-nj-federal-judges-son-shooting-of-her-husband-sources/2521563/

[Kitchari]

10. That's a really good article

Thanks for posting

[malaise]

4. Fascinating

Long time no see

[Laxman]

7. I've Just Been Lurking Lately...

but I felt compelled to post this . It was just too weird.

[magicarpet]

5. TrDump has brought the marginalized into the mainstream.

And now come hell or high water they demand their day in the sun.

[Cha]

23. Speaking of the heinous Puppet for Putin.. I saw this..

Den Hollander previously sued multiple NBC News anchors, as well as anchors from other networks, and alleged they engaged in an illegal conspiracy to prevent Donald Trump's election to the presidency.)

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/dead-man-in-ny-may-be-tied-to-killing-of-nj-federal-judges-son-shooting-of-her-husband-sources/2521563/

[central scrutinizer]

28. Stochastic terrorism

You can’t predict who will snap but the probability is high that someone will.

[Kitchari]

11. How bizarre

That you were acquainted with both of them in the long ago past. Thanks for the thread--lots of interesting details are appearing here, such as the Russian connection and the other murder in California

[Laxman]

16. When I Saw The Name....

of the suspected shooter this afternoon my first reaction was "what, that asshole?". I was just a kid when I ran across him. He was very young too but there was something about him that just wasn't right.

[bucolic_frolic]

15. The takeaway for me, from the Trump era, and the last 10 years

for reasons I won't go into, is to pay attention to personality. Personality disorders come in various shapes, sizes, and degrees. Antisocial personality disorder is likely the worst. There are about 9 symptoms. They are a potential, that can go extreme at various points and various times.

Of course I'm no psychologist, so discount my view if you disagree.

[grantcart]

17. Interesting and not surprised that someone at DU had a personal connection

[Liberal In Texas]

18. Wow. n/t

[McCamy Taylor]

21. Are we sure it isn't an Oswald/Ruby thing?

[warmfeet]

22. Strange times. NT

[smirkymonkey]

24. K&R

Thank you for your story. I have a feeling that a lot more is going to come out about this and it's going to be very ugly.

[Cha]

26. Thank you, Laxman, for sharing your personal

very different histories with one of the victims, Mark Anderi, and the crazed killer, Den Hollander.

Shocking, Hollander has a trump connection...

Den Hollander previously sued multiple NBC News anchors, as well as anchors from other networks, and alleged they engaged in an illegal conspiracy to prevent Donald Trump's election to the presidency.)

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/dead-man-in-ny-may-be-tied-to-killing-of-nj-federal-judges-son-shooting-of-her-husband-sources/2521563/

I wonder what set him off so horribly as to elaborately plan to go to Judge Salas' home and start shooting to kill? And, then he gets to New York and decides to kill himself.. or that may have been his plan all along since he didn't think he could get away with it?

I'll never forget how you kept us informed during the whole Chris Christy Heinous Bridge Takeover. I guess Christy Finally got his Karma.

[Lonestarblue]

29. Did he really commit suicide, or did someone make it look that way?

With Trump and Russian connections, I’m suspicious of everything. I feel like we’re experiencing an international crime syndicate at work with the former KGB head Putin the mastermind behind it.

[SharonAnn]

31. I'm noticing his work in Russia. Wouldn't have taken much for him

To take on a “hit job” from them. If nothing else, they could’ve just been ratcheting up his anger until he exploded.

[Cha]

33. Turns out Hollander had a "serious cancer condition"..

Den Hollander was a notoriously anti-feminist men's rights attorney, whose vitriolic website and book condemn women in rage-filled terms. In one of his books, he specifically blasted Salas by name as "lazy and incompetent" and said her only accomplishment was being a high school cheerleader. Den Hollander appeared in her court at one time as counsel in a lawsuit over the all-male military draft.

It's reported in this article tha Hollander had a serious cancer condition..

The body, identified by sources as attorney Roy Den Hollander, was found on a property in the Sullivan County town of Rockland, near Liberty, which is in the New York Catskills. Den Hollander had previously announced on a GoFundMe page, titled "Cancer knocks you down & doctors finish you off," that he was being treated for an apparent serious cancer condition.

https://www.nbcnewyork.com/news/local/crime-and-courts/dead-man-in-ny-may-be-tied-to-killing-of-nj-federal-judges-son-shooting-of-her-husband-sources/2521563/

https://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=13784100

[MustLoveBeagles]

27. It's a small world

Fortunately you survived your encounter with this nut.

[Sucha NastyWoman]

32. Is this what an incel grows up to be?

The place I live is thick with these types, although maybe not as far gone as he was.