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Sterling Johnson Jr. ’66 (1934–2022)
Johnson, was appointed U.S. District Judge for the Eastern District of New York by President George H. W. Bush in 1991, serving on the bench for more than three decades. BLS’ Black History Month profile calls him a “trailblazer in public service” whose career spanned policing, prosecution, and the judiciary. Before joining the bench, he served as Executive Director of the Civilian Complaint Review Board, Special Narcotics Prosecutor for New York City, and Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District. As a judge, he ordered the closing of a Guantánamo Bay detention facility he called “an H.I.V. prison camp” for Haitian refugees and later ruled that New York City had failed to adequately assist poor residents with AIDS. He continued hearing cases for more than thirty years, earning respect for his fairness, independence, and deep commitment to public service.
Keywords
District Judge, District Judge for the Eastern District of New York, Policing, Prosecution, Civilian Compliant Review Board, Special Narcotics Prosecutor, Assistant U.S. Attorney for the Eastern District, Eastern District, Public Service, AIDS