ALBANY JUDGE SUBJECT OF STATE INVESTIGATION

Thomas Keefe Allegedly Aided His Son Twice During Traffic Stops By
Albany Police

ALBANY -- A City Court judge is being investigated by the state
Commission on Judicial Conduct over allegations he twice intervened
when police stopped his son, including once when the youth had
marijuana and drug paraphernalia, according to sources with knowledge
of the probe.

Investigators with the watchdog panel that oversees judges are
looking into claims Albany City Court Judge Thomas Keefe persuaded
Albany police to allow him to take his son from two traffic stops
without formal charges. He also is alleged to have left with some evidence.

"This is news to me," said Keefe, when he was reached at City Court
on Friday. "I don't know anything about the fact the commission is
looking into me."

When confronted with the allegations against him, Keefe said, "I'm
not going to make any comment."

The Times Union filed a request under the state Freedom of
Information Law in January for the incident reports that police
prepared after two traffic stops: one on Nov. 8, 2005, at 1:15 a.m.
at Lawnridge and New Scotland avenues, and another on March 30, 2006,
at 11:08 a.m. at Kent and West Erie streets.

Those reports were released by the Albany City Clerk in February, but
Keefe's son's name had been redacted with a thick, black line. The
youth was 16 during the 2005 incident. However, the name of a
passenger in the 2006 incident was left visible. That youth's age was redacted.

According to information provided about the 2005 incident, Officer
John Joyce pulled the younger Keefe over for speeding at 1:15 a.m.
and then released him at 1:55 a.m.

What is not reflected on the report are observations by Joyce and a
back-up officer, Daniel Meehan. Sources with knowledge of the
investigation say the officers saw the younger Keefe put a small
wooden box in his pocket, which contained a small amount of
marijuana, and found a digital scale and some baggies under the seat.

The officers asked the youth if the judge was his father and
suggested he call home. Within minutes, the judge appeared at the
traffic stop, asked the officers to release his son to him and he
confiscated the drugs and paraphernalia, and they left.

In the 2006 incident, officers Erin Commerford and Michael Smith
stopped the younger Keefe for speeding at 11:08 a.m. The judge again
went to his son's aid, according to a person familiar with the case.
According to the report the officers filed, he was sent on his way at 1:45 p.m.

Joyce, the patrol officer at the 2005 traffic stop, was questioned
Wednesday by the state commission in its Albany office, said people
who knew what occurred during that session.

Albany Police Chief James Tuffey said he had no knowledge of the
investigation or the traffic stops.

"I don't know what happened, if anything happened," Tuffey said. "But
I have asked the head of internal affairs to be in my office first
thing on Monday morning."

If Keefe is found to have used his position to benefit his son, the
judicial conduct commission could opt for discipline ranging from
censure to removal from the bench. Keefe, who is 54, makes $108,800 annually.

Commission Chief Counsel Robert Tembeckjian, reached Friday, said he
isn't allowed to comment.