Mark Anderl, left to right, Esther Salas and Daniel Anderl were attacked in their North Brunswick home on July 19. Mark is suffering critical injuries while Daniel died from the shooting. Salas is a federal judge.
NORTH BRUNSWICK – U.S. District Judge Esther Salas is honoring the memory of her son by returning to the bench.
Salas’ son, Daniel Anderl, 20, was killed at his family’s North Brunswick home on July 19.
Salas’ husband, Mark Anderl, who is a criminal defense attorney, was seriously injured in the attack carried out by Roy Den Hollander, who targeted the family because of his disdain for Salas and her role as a federal judge, according to reports.
Salas sits on the bench in the District of New Jersey, Newark. Her first day back to work was March 1.
“I know Daniel would want me to represent all the women and Latinas everywhere and come back and show I am not deterred and I will not be frightened or afraid to do what I love to do, which is to be a U.S. district judge,” Salas told “Good Morning America” on ABC, as reported by Michelle Charlesworth.
An investigation has shown Hollander was targeting a dozen other female judges, including U.S. Supreme Court Associate Justice Sonia Sotomayor.Gov. Phil Murphy recently signed legislation known as Daniel’s Law into law. The law protects the home addresses and telephone numbers of judges, prosecutors and law enforcement officers from public disclosure.“My husband, Mark, and I would like to thank Gov. Murphy and all the men and women of the New Jersey State Legislature for enacting this trailblazing legislation,” Salas said in a previous statement.“We hope this law can be a steppingstone to improving the security of my sisters and brothers who serve as federal judges throughout the country. Nobody should be forced to endure the kind of pain my family has experienced ever again.“Together we can work to ensure that all members of the judiciary (federal, state and municipal courts) can perform their duties without fear of retribution or harm. Daniel used to say, ‘Mom, I love talking with you.’ I know Daniel is listening now and he is smiling down on us because he knows that with this bill signing, we are doing our part to ensure his death will not be in vain,” Salas said.Daniel’s Law amends the New Jersey Open Public Records Act (OPRA) to exclude from the definition of a government (i.e., public) record the portion of any document which discloses the home address of any active or retired judge, prosecutor or law enforcement officer.Further, the law prohibits government agencies, individuals and businesses from knowingly publishing on the internet, or otherwise making available, the home address or unpublished home telephone number of any active or retired judge or any active or retired prosecutor, according to the statement.Daniel’s Law also enables any active or retired judge, prosecutor or law enforcement officer whose home address or unpublished telephone number is disclosed on the internet or otherwise made available to the public, or whose immediate family member’s name, home address, or unpublished phone number is disclosed on the internet or otherwise made available to the public, to request that the information be removed.
The government agency, individual or business is required to remove the information within 72 hours of receiving such a request in writing, according to the governor’s office.
“When we think about what this could have become and what thankfully did not come to fruition because of my son’s bravery, because of my husband’s bravery, a lot of the people I think were spared. But I want to ensure that we spare all the men and women who serve on the bench because all we are doing is our job,” Salas told ABC.
